Bits of the Hod Vase
by Tea'nThoughts
Summary: Jade, what's this bit for?  For synopsis, Peony.  Yeah? What do we write?  Something to interest the readers.  Okay...how much space do we have?  76 spaces after this sentence. ...It's good, read it.  Very eloquent.  Summary inside! AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

Jade and Peony's mostly settled lives become a little more interesting when they cross paths with three youth on a run down, Victorian house's front porch. The lives of the rich, the poor, the content and the abused cross to make a wonderful, quirky and often hilarious weave of life.

This story is told from Peony and Jade's perspectives except for three parts where Jade has recorded the bohemians stories, and written them down in their orators' own personal style.

Peony and Jade are often nipping at each other with sarcasm and puns to lighten the mood around the heavier weathered bits. Laughter, tears and scalding sarcasm will be had by all.

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:** I'll try to keep this short and sweet, guys. Sorry ahead of time if it's not, but hey, who says you've gotta read it anyways?

**1)** This fic's got a couple narrators so I've I tried to make it as clear as possible who is speaking and (hopefully if the FFnet Gods allow) the narrator's name should appear before sections.

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?).

**3)** This fic is **M** because there are sexual shenanigans. Guys do get it on, _tastefully_, and also Jade's job requires a little dirty talk. It's also **M** for some heavy themes, but there story is pretty fluffy (just a heads up).

**4)** **Pairings:** Jade/Peony, Guy/Luke, Luke/Tear and maybe light Anise/Ion if you're so keen.

**5)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

***7 Chapters*** in total. Here's the first of it. Comments are muchly appreciated!

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><p><strong>Part 1: The Bohemians<strong>

Would you believe that it first happened when we were pressed against the brick wall of corner-store that I honestly can't remember the name of – I think the sign might have been yellow or maybe blue, but it was definitely glowing because there was a sort of strobe light show in the puddles just beyond the eaves, and Jade's breath puffed out over the lit water like steam...oh shit. Sorry, that's not very important, is it?

Let's just say you believe that I had enough sense to get under the eaves and out of the weather as buckets of rain washed Cabbagetown's streets clean. I also had enough sense to pull Jade out of the rain too and tuck him under my arm like he was some shivering puppydog (he wasn't but the man is skinny so I'm sure he didn't mind too much).

"Peony, you are like the movers who handled Mother Curtiss' eighteenth century Hodd crystal vase," Jade said in what my memory tells me was a loving, simpering voice (yeah right, I remember he stomped on my foot as he said this and it made his words all the more prominent) as he pulled closer to the wall of the convenience store. He stopped us, took his arm out of mine and wiped the fog off his glasses. He looked over the lenses at me and gave me this candid grin then heaved a sigh as he said while placing the glasses on his nose, "It's in a million little pieces and possibly spread over a dozen of this city's dumps. Historians are likely weeping over the glass of less expensive candy dishes and bongs wondering if the pieces they are tweezering are part of the nearly extinct Hod lineage. In short, you really are too rough on my frail, delicate body."

I think I might have thrown my head back a little as I laughed.

"That's great, Jade," I said and probably turned to look out over the street and cars that likely sloshed on into the dark. I moved my hand in a pantomime that covered at least three city blocks as I said, "I see it now. Little widow-peaked men in bright yellow raincoats sifting through diapers to discover history. Their tears melding into the rain much like your mother's vase is melding into the splinters of bongs. Funny, I don't hear you crying. She gave it to you as a parting gift, yeah?"

"Let the scholars do the weeping," Jade said as he burrowed his hands in his pockets and out of my grasp. He smirked at me like he knew (of course he knew) I wanted to hold his hand and said, "Besides, I kept it to please Mrs. Curtiss and only secondly for its historical value. Humble doctor I may be, but I do believe the people of Hod were known for architecture and not glassware. It is no great aesthetic loss."

I might have said, "Those poor scholars" or maybe even "That poor vase" but I was busy thinking about how sorry my life was with Jade denying my every move. Now all I can think of was the sign above us yellow or blue?

I moved closer to him, put one clichéd arm against the wall next to his head and took another step closer. I know we both had to have been smiling because I'm smiling now and Jade is always smirking. Despite his two steps back from my every step forward he never backtracked from a kiss. And then I said it.

"Have my babies."

"Well that's physiologically impossible," Jade snorted.

Oh yeah. I said _that _first before I said –

I laughed at his laugh then closed my eyes and kissed him again against the corner store wall, in the city, as it rained. And there must have been traffic because I remember when I whispered it I thought the _sploosh_ and rush of a car covered it up. When I opened my eyes he was staring at me and he wasn't smirking. He didn't glower and he wasn't swooning from the kiss or misty eyed from what I told him. He stared intensely, said nothing. Just as I took my arm away from the wall, put a hand in my hair and crinkled my nose in a I-was-joking-when-I-said-it way, Jade moved forward, had his hand fisted in my shirt, his toes nosing mine and a hand in my hair.

Jade kissed me.

"_Sayin' 'I love you' is not the words I want to hear from you_."

We both drew away and looked behind me, across the street. In a city you expect to see lights, you expect to see car headlights, billboards and convenience store signs even late at night (especially late at night) but...

Across the street in a square of darkness was a red light that didn't burn like neon, it glowed like embers, red and warm. From that homey light came singing and guitar playing, really gentle music.

"_More than words is all you have to do to make it real. Then you wouldn't have to say..._"

I crossed the street and I guess there wasn't much traffic because no one honked at me for darting across. I crossed because I was touched; the voices were raw, they had feeling, the guitar was acoustic and I didn't know anyone who sang with that much open emotion on the streets of a big city (and trust me, there are _a lot_ of street corner musicians). Jade crossed probably because he was curious and because he's the sensible one that slaps me when I'm about to throw my life's savings away for art or song, but hey, I like only _great_ art and _great_ song. It wouldn't be such a waste.

Across the street now with the convenience store's light fading away, the dark square became a little more illustrated. The darkness yielded a house that was shadowed by a twenty story, seedy apartment building on one side and on the other, brushed up against a factory that hadn't been open in decades, I'm guessing. The homey light was actually a garbage can on fire, but the flames were only just lapping at the rim and made the glow more red than yellow. The voices I thought that could have been the heart of the city, didn't belong to stars or angels. Three kids sat lounged around the trash can, flames and youth sheltered by the roof of the house. They looked and sang like that were parts of the same thing. The girl and the guys all wore worn jeans that hugged at the hips and nowhere else. They wore patched jean coats or plaid flannel shirts. The girl sang with her eyes fixed lovingly on a redheaded boy as he lay in her lap and she stroked his hair. The same redheaded boy had his legs bridged over the guitarist's legs. The guitarist strummed along and, every once in a while, stretched a finger out to scratch the skin showing through the redheaded boy's jeans.

I stood on the patchy lawn soaking in the rain for a good twenty seconds before Jade pushed us under the eaves.

"_...that you love me, 'cause I'd already know._"

I know Jade whispered something in my ear, but I really didn't hear the words. (Even better) I heard the feeling in Jade's voice and felt the warmth of his breath on my ear. He could have told me (and probably _had_) that we were trespassing and that we were stepping in on someone else's moment, but my only thoughts were how much I wanted to listen to these young people (and maybe kiss Jade).

Funny enough, the musicians didn't startle when two men with suits and a briefcase between them stood at their rotting porch and listened. Their music slowly teetered away and their eyes turned on us with curiosity.

When no one said anything and Jade turned to stare candidly at me I spoke.

"You guys sound amazing," I said or something like that.

The boy with the guitar ran a thumb down the strings and the instrument made a modest chirping noise. The girl blushed and tried to hide a smile as she focused her attention on the mop of red hair in her lap (she actually wasn't just playing with the hair, she was cutting it and rubbing the boy's head lovingly). The boy who had been singing along and was lounged across the other two's laps, cracked an eye open and glowered a little, but closed it again when Jade smirked at him.

"Thanks," the guitarist finally said and saluted me. He looked like a younger, paler, scrawnier me and I thought he might have a nice voice too by the happy way he talked. He set the guitar aside gingerly and pulled the redheaded boy's knees to his chest as he said, "Music and singing keeps us dry on nights like this."

"It brings us together," the redheaded boy muttered shyly.

"Yes," said the girl as she too set her scissors aside and gave the boy's head one more brush before turning to us, "and it keeps us together."

The boy in her lap made a happy, grunting noise in his throat and the guitarist squeezed his knees tighter and kissed the redhead's thigh.

I probably asked them about where they had learned to play and they might have told me a little more about their lives and music, but all I can remember from that meeting are their names; Tear, Luke and Guy.

* * *

><p>Five days a week I go to my office in the busiest part of town and sit on my ass behind my desk working more with paper than people. I can't even really tell you what I do there because the company is big and I'm pretty near the top (Vice President is my title) so naturally, I don't have a flying fuck of a clue what all goes on. What I do know by heart is the date, time and place of this month's and the next's and the next's social events. I'll skip on half of them because Jade (brilliant doctor that he is) also has social events and of those half that I'm supposed to accompany him to and he accompany me to, we spend half of them at home accompanying each other (he's still a brilliant doctor at those times and would choke me with my own stupid words if he knew that I wrote this).<p>

Work today was only worth mentioning because my routine changed and I actually got to work with people (I laugh now as I think about the ambiguity of that statement. It makes me smile and blush). I was sitting behind my desk, not actually working. I was staring out my window wall, not actually looking at the buildings that poked the sky or the elevators that run up their sides. I was busy thinking about the night when I met those kids. They had been polite – nah, _kind_ is a better word and their kindness felt like it had more to do with us and them than it had to do with our suits and their serenades to the burning trash. They must have led interesting lives or at least interesting to me because I didn't live where they lived or lived how they lived. Somehow they stuck with me and they must have stuck with Jade too. At home I would look across our living room into his study (I had the apartment modified so that no rooms but the bed and bathrooms had doors; I like open concept and we weren't students anymore, so damned be it that Jade would have an office in our place with a door). I would just be finishing a thought about those kids and I would look over at him, expect to see him hunched over his desk and instead find him staring at me or just looking up. Maybe we have been together for too long or maybe Jade's just a sly fox, but I'm pretty sure he could see the thoughts and wonder just fading from my eyes. Sometimes he would smirk, other times he wouldn't express anything and simply return to writing (I know now that it did mean something, back then I was only guessing).

So I suppose I was either thinking about those kids or I was thinking about thinking about those kids when there was a rap on my door followed swiftly by the _clunk clunk_ of heels as the door was pushed open. I knew without looking away from the window that the person behind me was either familiar with my slogan of 'knock for business, enter for pleasure' or she was higher up than me or she was a little self-centred. Natalia falls into all three categories, actually.

"Peony, I need to speak to you. I have business to discuss with you on behalf of my father and a proposition for you. Are you even listening?"

"With both ears; it goes in one ear and out the second," I answered and casually swivelled my chair around (and I had been, but teasing the boss' daughter was to be my treat of the day. Maybe people would visit my office more if I was more serious).

Have you ever seen a lion with a bone stuck between its teeth? The lion would probably sneer about the pain and be pissed because he's the king of the jungle, but he has to deal with his food, of all things, refusing to pass on. Natalia was something like that lion that day. She stood before my desk with her legs in a wide stance and arms as twisted and cross as her face. In comparison to the kids I had been wondering about, Natalia was daddy's little poodle. Black Guess skirt and blouse, Prada shoes; I bet if she had cavities daddy would have them filled with diamonds (maybe that's why I smartened up; if I got her angry enough she could bite through steel and I really am only a man).

I faced her and straightened as I said, "I'm listening. Really."

She blinked and her shoulders relaxed.

"I have news from daddy; you're up for promotion."

"Promotion? Huh, I thought the only higher I could get _is_ your dad's position. I don't think I deserve the enhancement if I don't even know my own company's hierarchy."

And I really didn't want it; I spent more nights out of bed than I did with Jade at the moment. I shouldn't even be this high in this company at my age. The death of my father had meant a Saturday in my college years spent in a black suit beside the grave of a man I wasn't quite sure I liked and, months later, learning how to run our company. I bargained with Lanvaldear to join with Malkuth, but I didn't make any compromises about the length of my hair. No way in hell would I cut it knowing that my father had hated it (and I'd figured out I actually didn't much like the guy considering I couldn't pursue my passions because of him) and figuring out that Jade really liked it (that was one good thing that happened after the funeral; I drank myself stupid in pursuit of my true feelings for my father and wound up finding Jade's feelings for me).

Natalia smiled but behind those painted lips there was pain. So I wasn't the only bone then.

"Actually, Peony, you do know your placement well...you're not wrong."

"Oh, Natalia..."

I kicked my chair away and it bumped dully against the window as I walked around the desk and held her in my arms. She kept her nose to my chest and slowly I felt a damp warmth in two spots just below my collar (later I would get some questions as to why I had mascara marks on my shirt).

"I'm sorry to hear he's not well. How bad is it? How sick is he?"

She shook her head in reply, clung tighter to me and crushed her nose against my neck as she sobbed.

(Hell...here's where I don't particularly like telling the story, it makes me feel awkward and I might as well point out now that I'm blushing and Jade's being ass by pointing it out. Maybe paperwork isn't so bad...)

It was already a little uncomfortable to be holding my boss' daughter while she cried against my neck in my office, and there was a point when her sobs subsided and I thought she would pull away to rub at her eyes. She didn't though, and I should have sat her down in my chair and grabbed her a glass of water. I didn't because she really didn't want to let go. So I rubbed her shoulders and patted her back and asked her if she was alright. She didn't reply and after a couple seconds my blood went cold, my thoughts froze and I went stiffer than my dad on his funeral day.

Natalia was done crying but her eyes were still wet or so I thought. But it wasn't her eyelashes batting my neck like the hairs of a wet paintbrush, it was her lips.

"Uh, Natalia..."

Her hands jumped to my neck and she let out a sob as she kissed my neck more fervently.

"Natalia..."

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>(Peony always gets bashful about this part, but thankfully we've always had an honest relationship so I know all the details and the ones I don't I'm sure about, I can fill in).<p>

Acting as the knight in shining armour that he is, Peony attempted to console a grieving Natalia and in return she attempted to seduce the man I share a bed with. Naturally, should he have succumb to her in his office that day, I would not be here to tell this story. I would never share a man with a woman who lets her emotions whisk her life away. My bed already has one fool in it and I don't wish our relationship to become like those bohemian youth, no matter how well they play the guitar (and by the way, I believe Guy had been playing the sitar the first night we saw them. Of course, I am only a humble doctor and Peony is, as the saying goes, Queen of the Theatre).

Apparently Peony is not as strong physically or morally as he appears, for Natalia had all but laid him down on his desk before he managed enough personal restraint to order her to stop. He didn't actually put a hand to her provocations until her thigh pressed deep against him at which point he pushed her off with a gasp of surprise (and stimulation, I suspect). He then likely led her around to the other side of his desk, sat in his chair and stumbled bewilderedly over to his personal refreshment cart where he poured her a glass of water and a shot of brandy for himself. Surely, he then stumbled back to her, shooting the brandy and spilling some water because of his nerves as he went. He handed her the water, pushed a tissue box near her like a man prodding a mouse closer to a hungry snake, and then pulled a chair for himself to the other side of the desk. He smoothed his shirt, took a calming breath and spoke to her far more professionally than he ever had before, I'm sure.

"Natalia, I didn't mean to be rough with you, but...I have to say I am _very_...shocked. Not in an entirely _bad_ way, but definitely in a way that is unwanted to ever be experienced again. You are far too young for me and I do not have any feelings that extend beyond respect for you and your family. Besides, I like men."

(I may have made up that last statement, but I do not doubt those were the first thoughts on his mind when he thought about what he would say to her, as he stumbled about his office.)

"I know," she half spoke, half sobbed into the tissue in her hand. She took a drink of water before looking bashfully at Peony, "but is it at _all_ possible that you could consider my proposition-"

"No, Natalia, no. I can't and won't after this sentence. It's not what I want and something tells me it's not exactly something _you_ want for yourself," Peony said as he regarded her teary face that turned embarrassedly from his searching gaze. She blew into her tissue and Peony straightened his shoulders as he added emphatically, "Besides, I love Jade."

(...I'm not quite sure what possessed me to add that, but Peony, at the bar shortly after this incident with Natalia, adamantly swore that he told her he loved me as the main part of his argument. I am not so sure how great a part that confession was, but it is possible it was included in his rebuttal considering he confessed his love for me for the first time in our relationship a few weeks before Natalia's seduction. I was rather surprised about his confession when it happened, but mainly because for all his boasts about being a romantic, he certainly isn't considerate of location or setting. He confessed his love to me on a street corner in a poor part of town outside a convenience store. And by the way, the sign was green.)

Upon hearing Peony out, Natalia cast her gaze down and nodded dolefully.

"I see now. I see...I'm sorry, Peony. It was rude of me and I shouldn't interrupt you any further," she stood quickly from the chair, caught her heel on its base and nearly knocked the little sense she ever possessed from her head on the desk's edge. Ever the gentlemen, Peony stood hastily to catch her, but quickly withdrew his hand upon remembering what had happened the last time he offered his body for her comfort. He put a hand to his hair and laughed, and Natalia responded with a watery chuckle.

Peony was curious about her reasons for the muddled seduction, but dared not put himself between her and the door.

* * *

><p>Peony was rather intuitive (for once) when he supposed that I knew how he had been thinking about the young adults we had met at that derelict house. It worried me how attached he was to them and I was naturally curious as to how they had ended up living in such a place and state. Besides those concerns, winter was to come in less than a month and they ought to be as physically prepared as possible. I decided to visit them one evening when Peony was staying late at work.<p>

I made my way to the outskirts of downtown with my briefcase packed with simple supplies and several poignant questions listing themselves in my mind. I had wondered if they were vagabonds and possibly moved from derelict place to derelict place around the city, but no. The girl, Tear, and the red haired boy, Luke, were on the porch. They wore similar shabby clothes in the chilling fall evening, but they found a way to keep each other warm.

I walked up the porch and the two promptly separated and rearranged their dishevelled state.

"So sorry to interrupt you," I said as they wrapped their shirts tight around them and looked up at me with rosy cheeks (no doubt, some of the rouge was credited to embarrassment). I smiled as I said, "I wondered if I may be delighted the chance to speak with you."

"Uh, I guess so," Luke replied.

"Very well," I said and sat my briefcase down at their feet. The bohemians looked at me and my briefcase before sharing a look.

"Why don't I go find Guy. He should be here for this too," Tear said and got to her feet. Luke startled and made to protest but quieted when he remembered I was standing before him. He settled, but watched Tear disappear beyond the screen door and into the house. The door was held in place by a single hinge and there was no other door to block cold air or mischievous sorts of people.

I wasted no time waiting for Tear and Guy; I set into asking Luke some questions seeing as he was almost literally pinned to the wall.

"Luke, correct?"

He nodded reluctantly.

"Luke, I want to ask you some questions. Do you mind?"

He pulled his knees close to himself and shrugged, but quickly followed up his nonchalant response by saying guardedly, "Depends on what you want to ask."

"I want to know more about you and your friends and perhaps provide some assistance."

I have perfectly good hearing so I was able to catch his less than impressed muttered swear of my audience of one. Naturally, I ignored his discomfort.

"My first question is, well, actually I think I had better start with a statement. Your fly is undone and I suggest zipping it up considering how nippy the weather is."

He seemed startled and quickly put a hand to his zipper. My curiosity about his back story was pushed to the shadows as the well seasoned doctor in me was reminded of how I had come upon the boy and Tear.

"I suppose I'll start with a rather simple question given your reluctance earlier; do you practice safe sex?"

"I – wait – you just? You asshole!" Luke said rather emphatically and crawled with his back pressed firmly against the wall of the house to a standing position. It was peculiar how terrified and furious he looked simultaneously. His chest swelled with indignation as he spat nervously at me, "Just 'cause I live out here doesn't mean I'm a whore."

"I'm sorry if I came off insidious. Forgive me, propositioning was not my intention. I am a doctor, you see, and it is my job to worry about people's health."

Luke stood stuck to the wall, swollen with anger and fear before he barked rather confusedly, "I don't care how much money you make. I won't do it."

I had been aware that Guy and, likely, Tear too were waiting at the screen door, attempting to deduce my intentions. Guy mustn't have viewed me as a threat for he put the old, aluminum baseball bat down just outside the door and joined Luke and I on the deck.

"You're not a social worker then?" Guy asked me and I replied negatively. Guy seemed to believe me for he waved to someone in the house, Tear I suppose, and then moved across the deck to pry Luke from the wall and kiss and cuddle the boy.

"I certainly hope you are practicing safe sex considering you are not practicing monogamy," I said as I put my hands in the pockets of my long coat and waited for Tear to remerge. Bashfully, she too set a piece of timber with a couple nails sticking out of it next to the bat and then went to put her arms around the other side of Luke. She buried her nose in his red hair and suddenly I had all three watching me curiously.

This was the first and probably the most timorous of visits I was to have with these three young people, but they all seemed to end in a similar fashion. The first, second and third visits were to gain their trust more than information. However, I conducted a quick medical check-up that was mainly verbal, found nothing mentally nor physically concerning with any of them, then prescribed them some condoms. Luke blushed, but Tear and Guy accepted my advice.

I left with the three of them peering at me from the deck as I walked to the bus stop a couple streets over.

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>It was probably around the time that Jade started visiting the kids behind my back that I started dragging us to little restaurants and bars around the area that the trio lived. Jade knew (of course he knew) that when I would suggest going for walks after eating and drinking, come sleet, rain or intoxication, that I wasn't doing it for my health (again, of course he knew. He's a goddamn doctor and a great one, so no shit he knew that I wasn't drenching myself for my health). He didn't say anything about his visits though and for a while I couldn't figure out why.<p>

So Jade and I spent our evenings together walking around the kids' neighbourhood, often seeing them lounged on the porch and now and then standing on their front lawn to listen to them play and sing. After a couple weeks they invited us onto their porch to listen to them play (I guess because Jade had finally weaseled his way into their trust. It was probably pretty damn easy considering he supplied them with condoms every time he saw them, sly bastard). During those two weeks Jade spent his time learning about them and I spent my time trying to figure out Natalia (while keeping my distance, dear Lorelei, I kept my distance). She, unlike me, was a dutiful daughter and hung around the workplace often. It had been cute when she was seven and wore one of her father's ties as she sat on his lap at his desk giving orders. Cute wasn't the word used to describe her as now she _clip clopped_ past cubicles and office doors barking orders and making suggestions to people far more specialized in their field than herself (though she was usually right...It was sometimes amusing to see the accountants gnash their teeth and swallow their pride as a size two in a skirt and blazer told them to check their math). I probably wasn't born to be a detective since after a week of ignoring my duties and following her around, I simply walked up to her and asked if we could talk. Our conversation didn't exactly go as I planned.

I cornered her next to the water cooler three doors down from my office and asked if I could speak to her. She glanced over her shoulder as she filled her glass water bottle and asked me to wait a moment. As she straightened and twisted the lid on her bottle she asked what it was I wanted to talk to her about.

"About something we discussed in my office a couple weeks ago," I said casually with my hands twitching on my hips. Natalia nearly shattered her bottle and let out the closest word to a curse I ever heard her utter.

"Oh, Yulia's holy choir...Darn it. Forgive me for appearing, ah, disgruntled. Just let me sop this up and we can talk. In your office."

Natalia reached for a stack of papers on one of the many business man's desks to soak up the water. I heard the businessman protest rather politely for someone whose work was being used as a rag. I continued on my way to my office, finding some amusement when Natalia quipped, "You would have had to redo this project anyway. The stats are completely wrong."

* * *

><p>Like I said, the talk really didn't go as planned since I made the mistake of asking her a question that either should have been asked at the end or not at all.<p>

I sat on the corner of my desk and Natalia sat in my chair in profile as she stared out the window. I poured her a glass of water and a drink for myself (and FYI I don't keep brandy in my office. It's rum. If Jade's going to stain my reputation at least get the booze right. Geez, you would think we'd only been together for a couple months. It's been five long years and I wish time would slow and the years would get longer. I would be fine with that). Natalia nodded at my offerings but didn't turn towards me. I had my glass to my lips but lowered it, probably with a sigh. Then I asked the question.

"Natalia, are you okay?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, sighed then uncrossed her legs and moved around the room. I shifted in my seat on the desk to watch her pace.

"No, Peony, I am truly not," she said in an agitated voice. The way she tossed her hair as she turned in her pace made me think of a lion again, flicking its tail as it snarled to itself.

"Father is sick and it seems as though his number two has no desire to take control of the business-"

"Sorry," I interjected with a shrug (it was true after all). Natalia ignored me and continued speaking and pacing.

"I have a great many things to do in the next couple months and now I have to try to whip all of daddy's employees into top shape in case he falls further into illness. There's my mother's winter wardrobe to create. Then there is daddy's will and final wishes, I'll have to reconsider my future yet again. There's also my humanitarian work which I wanted to talk to you about considering your partner is a doctor – Oh dear!"

"What?" I asked probably just as startled as Natalia looked. She stopped in front of the window looking out over the city and had a hand clasped to either side of her cheeks. I thought maybe she had seen something tragic going on outside, but she wasn't looking down and unless she had developed a fear of pigeons I saw nothing at our level to make her look so mortified. I got to my feet and took a couple steps closer. My imagination had me thinking that the young women had realized how busy her future looked and she was going to leap through the pane of glass to end it all (horrible as it sounds, I was saddened by the thought that I wouldn't have a window to stare out of while daydreaming for a couple weeks after Natalia threw herself to a fifty story death). My rational side (Jade side) told me that standing with only two feet between her and the glass wasn't enough space for her to take a running leap and expect to make it through the window. Still, I put a tentative hand on her shoulder because she had been doing her impression of Scream for nearly a minute. At my touch she whirled around and I took three steps back, worried that the blazing look in her eyes was another fit of passion that would end with me on my back and her sitting on my hips on my office floor. And we almost ended up in such a position when she clasped her hands in mine and I stumbled over my feet. Turns out daddy's poodle has the grip of a Rottweiler.

"Peony, you must tell me where your doctor's office is immediately," she begged and shook my hands in hers like she was trying to ring the information she needed out of them.

"Uh, what day is it?" I asked disorientated by her turnabout and incredibly firm handshake. "Wednesday?"

"Yes, Wednesday! It's Wednesday," she chirped.

"He'll be at the clinic-"

"Which clinic? Where?"

"Just off of Church Street-"

She let go of my hands and bolted for the door while yelling for me to call her driver to the front of the building. She had created a loud scene in my office, but now there was no one pacing or nattering except for my thoughts (and really all my mind was doing was thinking how women in high heels run like ostriches). I flopped heavily in my chair and rolled across the floor until the head of my seat bumped the window. After thinking about nothing (and ostriches), I remembered that I had been attempting to figure out what Natalia was on about and realized that she had said a lot, _a lot_ of a lot (so much so that I had to make up half the things she said because I honestly can't remember), but none of what she said amounted to much. I was supposed to ask her to draw me a picture and instead I got a cloud of dots to connect.

I kicked my feet up on my desk and leaned back.

"Oh hell..."

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>Oh yes. This part. I swore there would be hell to pay for this, didn't I, Peony? My day had gone well that day (only one unwanted pregnancy and three cases of syphilis, which was a dramatic drop since last week). The waiting room was empty at quarter to seven so I switched the sign to closed and went to my office to pack my supplies (I planned to visit the bohemians before I met with Peony for dinner). I had just finished buttoning my coat when I heard three sharp raps on the clinic's front door. I knew that no matter what sexual health crisis this person was in I could diagnose them as either illiterate or idiotic for knocking on the door when it was now three after seven. I made my way to the door slowly, savouring the time I had to irritate him or her on the colder side. My method worked for there were another three raps, louder than the first series.<p>

I came to stand in front of the door. A young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair was outside and I suppose she fit into the less than intelligent category since she was standing on tiptoe to see over the closed sign. I pantomimed glancing at my watch, but upon seeing me she merely arched her feet more and waved emphatically. I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose and cracked the door open enough to speak through, she, however, was not only of the less than intelligent variety but also a deadly concoction of ignorant and talkative. I have spent nearly two decades in medicine and to this day there is no pill or therapy to cure quite the poisonous disease that this young woman had.

"Well, you'll have to open the door more than that if I'm to enter," she said, apparently diagnosing me as idiotic (I thought that was charming).

"I am sorry, miss, but if you are concerned about an STI or pregnancy then you will have to wait until tomorrow for a test. The best prescription I can give you is to remain sexually inactive for the night and buy a pregnancy test from your local drugstore. They are not as accurate as a doctor's analysis, but they are easier to read these days. 'Yes' means you are with child and 'no' means you are not."

"Well!" she huffed as I stepped outside the door and locked the clinic. I turned around to see her swollen indignantly and suddenly I thought she looked familiar.

"Excuse me, have we met before?" I asked as I pocketed my keys.

"Yes, but certainly not here," she said and gave a scornful look at the clinic's sign.

"Then perhaps at one of Peony's social events."

"Yes, Doctor. We were introduced at the charity event to preserve Hodian artefacts three years ago."

"I don't recall that event, but I will be sure to _not_ tell Peony or any of his co-workers that you stopped by my clinic, even if it is afterhours and I am no longer on duty. Good evening."

I made to make my way across the street to the bus stop, but the young lady latched onto my arm with a grip like a sphygmomanometer.

"I am not here because I believe I am pregnant or have contracted some disgusting disease. I came to speak with you, Dr. Curtiss, about Peony."

"Peony?"

"Yes, there is something I must say to you concerning him."

"Perhaps we could talk at a later time. My bus will be here in a few minutes and I have an engagement that may not be terribly prudent in regards to time, but I like being consistent."

"_Then I shall accompany you_."

(Peony, I have highlighted those words for if I ever hear them uttered by that woman again and the reason is because of you, I will bring as much misery upon you as those words brought on me during my bus ride that night).

* * *

><p>Natalia does not enjoy silence, nor does she enjoy a steady pace of conversation. Her words per minutes rivalled the wheels of the bus' revolutions while traveling at top speed through the city. She spent the first five minutes admonishing me for supposing she had been to visit the clinic for sexual health reasons, especially since I had flipped the sign to closed. Why would I assume an educated young woman would be knocking on my door at three minutes after the clinic's closing time? she asked me. She also had a peculiar understanding of the city. Whenever she glanced out the window or the bus made a stop in a new part of the city she would ask where we were. I would respond with the street name and she would say "Oh, we are near Queen" or "Main" or "King" and would be exactly right. In short, the woman may not have been to the side streets of the city, but she knew where every name was on the map.<p>

My stop was four stops away and still she had not breeched any subject concerning my dear Peony when I asked what she wanted to discuss. She replied that the bus was far too noisy to talk about delicate matters so she would get off with me and discuss what she needed to then (you could not believe the joy I felt when I heard her say "_I shall accompany you_").

And so it was that I walked down the darkening street with only the sound of Natalia's clicking heels for the first few moments. I didn't particularly like the idea of spending an hour of my evening in her presence, but I wondered if someone who knew only the main streets and rich suburbs of the city, would be frightened from me if I showed her the lifestyle of my three voluntary charges. Halfway to their house she spoke and in a subdued tone.

"Dr. Curtiss-"

"Surely the daughter of Peony's boss must actually interact with the man, and no doubt he gave you the address of my clinic. If that is true then I am sure you have heard Peony call me by my first name; please, do so as well. If you cannot manage to articulate something so informal then call me by Mister or Doctor Balfour. I seemed to have developed a case of verbal constipation over the past half hour and the surname 'Curtiss' only makes my condition worse."

Natalia's lips flapped open and closed noiselessly once or twice and suddenly my case of verbal constipation became bearable.

"Very well," she huffed and the click of her heels grew sharper, "_Dr. Balfour_, I have something I wish to talk to you about concerning your partner Peony. It seems I made not only a great personal error, but also a moral one for which I – where are we?"

We had taken a sharp left and were now cutting across the lawn leading up to Guy, Tear and Luke's abode. The bohemian trio were huddled on the deck as Peony and I had met them on our first encounter, singing, playing and embracing by the burning trash can.

"_We live on front porches and swing life away, we get by just fine here on minimum wage. If love is a labour I'll slave till the end, I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand..._"

"I presume you mean where are we in regards to _why_ are we here instead of the street name, which you already inquired about. I have no easy answer for you," I said as I ascended the stairs and Natalia remained in the poetic shadows at the foot of the steps. The only other answer I supplied was, "Some people may call this lustful sin and others may call it nirvana. Personally I call it their life of choice, but even some may dispute that."

"_The winter's so cold summer's over too soon, so let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees_..."

Tear's melodic voice cut off in a series of coughs that had me suspecting the sickness was in her chest and not her throat. The moment I came parallel with the garbage can, Luke and Guy swarmed me and almost rivalled Natalia's rate of speech with a full description of Tear's malady.

From Tear's state and the boys' description, I guessed that she may have bronchitis, (or any other number of viruses that induced coughing) but they unanimously refused to visit a hospital to be certain. The boys asked what they should do and, once again, refused to see a doctor that was not me. I ordered that she be taken inside, eat something warm, drink something warm and be put to bed without any further activities that night. I followed them inside to make sure that they didn't put her to sleep in a room with the roof opened for stargazing.

"Um..." Natalia said as I stood by the screen door while the boys accompanied Tear down the hall.

"I don't think you need to ask permission for entrance," I said to her and then walked inside.

The boys had taken Tear to a room close to the center of the house. I was impressed with how they had attempted to make up for their lack of electricity by cutting a hole in the floor and stuffing a garbage can in it to use as a fireplace. Guy, being the most technically and mechanically savvy, had even figured out how to make a chimney that more or less directed the smoke out of the house.

Tear laid herself down in a pile of blankets in the corner of the room and Luke joined her to press his bodily warmth against her.

"You will actually keep each other warmer with skin to skin contact, but for civility's sake that will do until I leave," I said to Luke.

"Right. Thanks, Jade."

"And speaking of skin, how's your rash, Luke?"

"Dammit! I told you it's a scrape from when I fell off the factory's roof, okay?"

"It seems in my old age I am confusing patients. I had another redheaded patient who looked much like yourself diagnosed with syphilis today. My apologies."

Luke huffed, but turned from me with a secretive smirk on his lips.

"Uh, Dr. Balfour..."

I wondered briefly if I had been taken in by the bohemian trio for we all turned to stare at the girl in the doorway (only then did I realize that even with glasses, my eyes didn't function with one hundred percent accuracy when it came to seeing the big picture, as it were. Natalia standing in her high heels and expensive clothes truly did look out of place there).

"Yes, Natalia?" I asked as I crouched next to Tear and unclasped my briefcase to extract a thermometer.

"That's not a needle is it?" Luke asked and shifted beneath the blankets.

"Boy, Luke, you've been away from modern medicine for a long time," Guy chuckled as he leaned up against the wall.

"I didn't think that was a bad thing," Luke teased back and twisted his neck to stick his tongue out at his other lover. He turned back to me as Tear took the thermometer in her mouth and said, "I just couldn't see it properly from this angle. Now I get it; it's a thermometer."

"Dr. Balfour," Natalia repeated for I had purposely neglected her. Whatever she had to say about Peony I was sure I could live without knowing (Peony and I rarely hide matters from one another without good reason. So unless Natalia knew of a hitman targeting Peony I doubted I needed to hear anything from her regarding him). Natalia made her way into the room, pausing to nod to Guy as an informal request to enter his house and room. He saluted her and watched her amusedly as she clicked her way over to me.

"Dr. Balfour, I have something important to say to you and I must first start off by apologizing to you."

"Really? I think that's a poor way to start considering I have no idea what you are apologizing for. It could be an unneeded apology or for a matter so grand that an apology would seem satirical," I said as I read Tear's temperature. "You're a bit warm, Tear."

"I know," she simpered, but even laughing was a bit of an effort. She settled deeper into the blankets and rested silently on Luke's arm for a pillow.

"Well, I will start off with an apology and hopefully what I am apologizing for will become clear. Dr. Balfour," she said crisply, but sincerely. I looked away from disinfecting my thermometer to regard her with vague interest. "Dr. Balfour, I am sorry for the harm that I did to you and your partner Peony. About a week ago I intruded upon your relationship and soiled your love by trying to tempt Peony into a relationship with myself. I did great harm to you and you never knew until now."

I could feel the eyes of the room on me, but really I was focused on the dinner Peony had set up for us tonight (I had grown tired of walking in the cold air to hear songs that I could request anytime I visited. Also, I had planned to tell Peony about my visits tonight, but with Tear sick I couldn't collect all that I needed). Tired by trying to be a doctor to three young adults who were watching me with worry and amusement, I stood and turned to Natalia. She took half a step back with one click of her heel, but remained stoic otherwise.

"You really should have explained the situation before apologizing," I said as I rearranged my glasses. "Now you've wasted a perfectly good apology on a perfectly worthless situation. You had no real need to apologize since I am not offended, though I suppose it is something like a formality to say you're sorry for kissing another man's man."

"Not offended?" she asked and her eyes went wide. "How can you not be offended by my forcing Peony to cheat on you?"

"Oh, so he actually had intercourse with you?"

"No! God, where would we have - ? We were in his office! Of course we didn't! I just kissed him. I kissed him passionately!"

"I hardly call that cheating considering it was a kiss that wasn't returned. Had you had sex with him I believe you would owe the apology to Peony since it would be considered rape."

"How – how can you _joke_ about something like rape? You're a doctor!"

"My apologies, it was not intended as a joke, but as a statement," I said as I picked up my brief case and clasped it. "Apparently it's difficult for people who have known me less than a couple years to deduce when I am being sarcastic and when I am being genuine."

"Yes, it is difficult," she snorted and clicked her heel. She was silent but continued to tap her shoe before she burst out, "Are you truly not upset with me?"

"Oh my, it seems you truly don't believe me when I say I am not offended. Very well," I said before I started rhyming off reasons why I was not upset, "I am not offended because it sounds as though Peony did not enjoy himself. Not to tarnish your lips' capabilities, of course, I am sure they are very able. I am also not offended because the experience has not seemed to have harmed Peony or our relationship in anyway; had it then I would be rather upset with you and an apology would not have done. And lastly, I am not offended because I find the idea of Peony writhing highly amusing at the present. It may have something to do with my verbal constipation and me owing him some hell. In summation, I am not offended, but I will be late soon."

I relayed the instructions for care of Tear to Guy. My advice about seeking medical attention at a hospital was rejected again by the bohemian trio, and I was stopped from leaving only once more by Tear. She gently tapped my ankle and I turned to look down at her.

"Jade, tonight I was meant to tell you," she said, her sentence broken by her cough.

"I am aware, but the matter isn't pressing. Another time when you are not so sick and I'm not so hurried."

She nodded and huddled beneath the blankets with Luke. I passed Natalia who had been standing silently in shadows cast by the flaming can with her head bowed in thought and mouth in a frown. I expected she could find her way about the city considering she knew which streets connected to which. I paused once more by the door as I handed a couple strings of condoms to Guy and then left the house headed for the bus that would take me home.

(Peony owed me quite a bit for that day's worth of troubles).

* * *

><p>When I entered our condo I felt some of the verbal constipation I had acquired over the past hour dissipate and my mind ached less. Peony has always been a decent to fair cook and, after that fateful afternoon when I took pity on my drunken friend sometime after his father's funeral, Peony had mastered my favourite dish. The condo was dark because Peony insisted on candles for such occasions, but any surprise I was meant to feel about the meal was negated by the cumin scent that pervaded every room (perhaps it wouldn't if Peony hadn't insisted on modifying our home to be open concept, though the smell of good food is welcome even in the bedroom. Peony wadding paper balls to bombard me with while I am in my study and he in the living room is not).<p>

I hung my coat in the closet by the door and neatly tucked my shoes in before (skirting the pile of coat, boots and the week's worth of scarves Peony left by the door) crossing the living room and finding Peony bent over the island. He was reading the paper by candlelight while our food lay covered on either side of his elbows.

"I apologize for being late," I said quietly (darkness always seems to inspire soft speaking). I moved about the kitchen to grab a couple of wine glasses.

"You're not that late," Peony murmured and I heard him shuffle the paper and sigh as he straightened. I had just uncorked a bottle of red wine when Peony draped himself much like a blanket over my shoulders. He put his hands down the neck of my shirt as he spoke in my ear, "You were actually really well timed. I just had time to finish cooking and put everything away."

"Then," said I as I took his hands away from my skin and walked to the island, "I suggest we eat promptly."

(I had my reasons for denying his affection. If you really couldn't understand then you must have missed the last six or so pages where I was hounded by a young lady and her flickering tongue and clicking heels, and I suggest that you reread that section so that you may understand my indignation. That and it is just fun to unsettle Peony and quite a task).

Peony seemed to comprehend that from the wine uncorking through to the end of our meal something involving himself had made my day less than enjoyable and, over the course of our romantic evening, I would make him work for my affection when I would normally yield on such occasions. I had my fun with this too; we sat at the table across from one another and my chair was pulled farther from the table that etiquette dictates. I didn't lean into any of the conversation topics we talked about and gave to the point answers. Peony sat on the opposite end quite often with his fork in his mouth as his lips worked about, uncertain of what to ask. And to every unasked question I replied with a smirk and a sip of wine. Now my day was following a design I enjoyed.

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>Jade's a bastard, he really is. I'm no genius in the kitchen, but if there is one thing I can make it's curry and I made it because the bastard loves it. So all that time I spent making dinner and actually cleaning up to please and sooth him was wasted (yeah, I cleaned up the kitchen because Jade's picky about leaving food out. He also says that the room most likely to catch on fire is the kitchen so we should keep it as mess free as possible, which I get. The day I hear about someone's toilet catching fire is the day I'll stop worrying about keeping a clean kitchen and laugh my ass off instead). I spent my entire meal watching him for some indication of where I had stuck my foot this time, but the bastard wasn't telling. He just sat across from me, too far away to kick and too straight-backed to actually engage in conversation (and apparently that was all done on purpose), and the only hint he gave me was a smirk. So that meant that I had probably put my foot either in my mouth or up my ass and Jade was just having a laugh as I choked myself. Ice Queen.<p>

He was gracious enough to volunteer to do the dishes and I was too distracted by my thoughts of where my foot was that I didn't even slap his ass as he took my plate away. I felt like a kid ostracized to the corner when I shuffled to the couch and flopped on my back. The bastard was washing dishes in the kitchen and it was like mommy had told me to think about what I had done while she went about her day (he was smirking the entire time too).

I did actually take a moment to think about what I could have done and came up with a couple things, but nothing really seemed right. I thought maybe Jade was annoyed with how much time I was making us spend on the trio down in Cabbagetown, but he probably would have told me point blank he wasn't impressed. I also thought that maybe he had tripped on my boots when walked in, but I would have heard that (besides, if he was still tripping on them then, then it really was shame on him. Really, he should have figured out by now that I'm a slob, built a bridge and got over it). I was just starting to go through events in the last couple hours, and probably would have thought about Natalia dashing out of my office with "my partner's" address between her teeth, when Jade decided to be merciful. Or so I thought (just because a demon brings you wine and cheese on a silver platter doesn't mean he's actually being kind).

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>I brought Peony and myself a plate of cheese and glasses of the leftover wine once I was done the dishes. I had been peering over for the duration of my washing to see that the man was truly ruminating on what had caused my callousness and this pleased me. Peony, eager for my attention apparently, made to sit up and take the tray, but I put a hand to his chest and set it down before settling myself over him.<p>

"You didn't finish your wine," I commented while looking down at him.

"Wine is more your thing. Must have something to do with sour grapes."

I laughed at him and teased him as I leaned forward only to grab a glass from the floor and take a sip from it instead of kissing him. I let the flavour settle on my tongue for a couple seconds while Peony watched me something like a zoologist with his eyes on the animal while he reaches from the tranquilizer. I let Peony run his fingers down my side while the flavour set. Then I swallowed and leaned forward to kiss him and I made sure he tasted the wine before pulling away from his hands. He sprang on me like a trap, but they missed their fox (perhaps Peony saw me as more of a snake. That is his go to animal for me generally).

"Sour grapes...did that taste sour?" I asked him before taking another sip without swallowing.

"Nah, I'd have another taste," he said and proved his willingness by pulling me forward. I smirked into the kiss and with a fair amount of precision and delicacy, I let the wine roll off my tongue and onto his.

* * *

><p>-JP~

* * *

><p>There was a reason why you were being slow, wasn't there, Jade?<p>

I suppose you could say I was attempting to lull you into a false sense of security, Peony.

Ah. That was the reason. Well, good job, bastard, it worked.

Why thank you, Your Majesty.

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>Jade did everything slow from the kissing to the actually laying his body limb by bloody limb on mine. And after nearly ten minutes of him pulling away to feed me wine, I was getting impatient and warm from the kisses alcohol and teasing. I expected Jade to just ignore me when I undid my belt buckle and to carry on pretending like all he wanted to do was wine and kiss me, but no. When I undid my pants he stopped and pulled back to give me a look that actually wasn't accompanied by a smirk. He was considering something (guess considering me).<p>

I stopped moving too and for a moment we looked at each other, kind of like how people stare at each other confusedly because one of them thought they were going out for drinks and the other thought they would be eating. Jade, that bastard, made things simple.

He reached into his back pocket as he asked me casually, "Tell me, how do you think this night is to go, Peony?"

If my memory serves me right, I'm pretty sure both our cheeks were red, but for Jade the flush had more to do with the three-quarter empty wine bottle beside us (Oh! And I just realized that we hadn't touched the cheese and he _didn't_ get up to put it away so point for me because Jade is a hypocrite. How dare he berate me for not cleaning up food I'm not using when he doesn't do so himself. Point for me).

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>(Well, I don't know about scorekeeping, but if that is how you wish to play then we really should wait until the end of our evening to tally the score).<p>

And how did you answer me, Peony?

You lay beneath me with your fly open and mouth a little slack jawed at my question. Then the wine made you brave as you grabbed me by my hips and tried to roll me onto the couch. I wouldn't let you though, and for a moment you lay beneath me and I bent was over you. We were two cogs refusing to turn with one another; you wanted to spin one way and I another. I believe my cog won with a jagged movement downward that ground you my way.

(My point).

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>(I'll say, your <em>point<em>.)

Y'know, I think I'm actually thankful for the wine because it probably relaxed me. So thanks for the mercy, bastard. Still, I think my eyes were almost squeezed out of my head by my heart leaping up when I realized you weren't gloving me. You really are a control freak, you know, but I guess I don't mind. The last thing I remember clearly enough was taking your glasses off, leaning back, and having my arms locked above my head.

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>(I have a hand pressing against my forehead in exasperation as I realize that for once Peony has his story straight, and at the time when he experienced this part he was drunk on red wine and endorphins).<p>

I am a doctor, it is in my nature to take care of myself and those I attend to. Peony and I always practice safe sex and I suggest that anyone who reads our tale does too.

There is a reason why Peony usually takes the more active position during intercourse and it likely has something to do with taking the morning commute by bus down a potholed street while bouncing on a metal seat.

I had the benefit of self-control when we battled for dominance and now I had control over Peony with his arms pinned up above his head. Everything that followed was so simple.

I kissed him and gave him the remaining taste of wine as I pushed inside him. I kept my body close to his and pushed a little deeper with every breath in. The wine had him truly relaxed seeing as I needed only one hand to keep his two in place (I doubt Peony was lucid enough to remember how he breathed words in my ear that egged me on). I kissed down his throat, kept a hand firm against his lower back as I pressed in more than pulling out. I only took my hand away when I began breathe quicker than him and dropped it to his lap to pull him ahead.

His lips moved faster, but I don't believe he said anything important, except my name and only once.

"_Jade_..."

I let go of him and his hands and twined our fingers in his hair. I vaguely remember seeing snow falling lightly outside the balcony window before burying my nose in his neck, teeth in his shoulder and squeezing our hands tight for the final press.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**

Jade tells Luke's story while going for a walk in a blizzard (ah, his natural habitat!).

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** Guess I forgot to mention, but this story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 2: Luke<strong>

The next day at work I continued my quest for knowledge, but Natalia wasn't seen (I was pretty relieved actually; no man wants a figurative pain in the ass when dealing with a literal one). I didn't see her for a week's worth of blissful, quiet days and when I finally did, I thought the worst had happened.

I had just stepped out of my office to go harass the PR people (they always take my jokes as jokes not as harassment claims to repeat to HR) when through the water cooler I spotted the mane of the lion. I ducked back into my office before I remembered that I actually _wanted_ to see her. I straightened my tie and stepped out again only to jump (and I might have yelped since a spot near the base of my spine twinged and really, who wouldn't yelp with a lioness grinning at your office door...wait, grinning?). Natalia was standing at my office door beaming in lieu of the sun's disappearance behind the snow clouds, but there was something else different, I was just too startled to realize what.

"Peony," she trilled and spread her arms (I thought with the upbeat tone of her voice and her emphatic gestures she was about to do the YMCA, but sadly that wasn't the case). She threw her arms around me and laughed into my shoulder (truthfully I expected her to burst into tears or attack me with seduction. She kinda gets too excited for her, mine too, hell _everyone's_ own good. So with a grin that had to bend to get through my doorway, I thought one of us might die from her excitement). She laughed, that's really all I can say since I'm _still_ bewildered by it (and how many months has it been? Jade would know. He's anal about these kinds of things. Ha. Anal).

"Uh, Natalia...is everything...uh, you good?" I asked and probably patted her shoulders even though she sounded like she was having the time of her life (yeah, I remembered what happened when I last asked her if she was alright so I changed tactics this time).

"Yes, yes of course!" she trilled and pulled away giggling at me. I think she took my hands in hers and gave them a squeeze before walking out of my office.

"Wait, I think I wanted to say something," or I muttered something like that as I watched her pad lightly down the hallowed partitions of the cubicles.

* * *

><p>"And BOOM, gone, just like that. That's what I'm <em>telling<em> you. Open your mouth for a sec."

"My mouth?" asked Jade curiously, pretty sure he had his glass at his lips before slowly lowering it and giving me a twisted grin.

"Yeah, open it."

"Whatever for, Peony?"

I must have had a pretty good buzz by this point 'cause I'm pretty sure somewhere between specs asking me what for and calling me a child, I had his jaw in my hand and I had pried his teeth apart to get a glance at his tongue.

"Peony, we are in a public facility and you are acting quite obscene," Jade said through fish lips since I was just having fun (Jade's actually a lot less scary to piss off when you've got his cheeks pressing up against his glasses and his nose wrinkling like a pug's). I think while I was swigging my drink he pulled away because I remember snorting a bit of my beer up my nose when I laughed at my red finger prints on his (icy) white cheeks.

"Raucous and crude behaviour could get us thrown out of this bar had the bartenders seen. They wouldn't put up with two drunken, grown men pinching each others' cheeks for the viewing pleasure of the fine, classier, young generations. Although, I must marvel at the lack of imagination and sensibility of the young men and women; the fur boots look warm, but the leave-nothing-for-the-imagination skirts and dresses really create a paradox between what the clothes say on a whole. Then again, I suppose if the young men and women began pairing up in the snow dusted alleyway it would seem quite sensible to be wearing something with easy access while also sporting footwear appropriate for the weather."

(Jade on fashion, ladies and should ask him what he thinks about Crocs).

"You talk a lot when buzzed, man," I humbly replied (like hell I actually remembered all that he said. I got him to write down one of his spews just so I could prove to you how obnoxiously longwinded he is with a little alcohol in him).

"And you remain perfectly casual no matter sober or pickled."

"Thanks. How's your face?"

"A bit pinched. How's your backside?"

"Couple more drinks and that little detail won't even matter," I laughed into Jade's cheek, probably because I kissed him, but I could have been swaying a bit. "Want to know why I was looking in your mouth?"

"Ah, for my forked tongue?"

I remember straightening up because my back twinged and I said as close to sober as I would be for the remainder of the night, "We've been together for too long."

"Hmm, perhaps you can join the bohemian, shanty dwellers."

"Don't knock their lifestyle," I said, probably also pretty soberly, "I mean, I may not want what they have, but they want it and they're not hurting anyone while getting what they want, so why have a cow?"

"Oh my, are we having an argument in a bar? I don't fancy stitches or picking glass from my scalp after a bar fight. Besides, I have no qualms with the young musicians, provided they use protection. Now, on our original subject of Natalia, what was she not sporting that had you concerned? You've left me teetering on the edge of suspense."

"Shit, I didn't tell you? I really thought I did because I've been ruminating on her for hours. Get this," and I leaned in close, but now I realize the bastard wasn't taking me seriously because I had a great shot of his belt buckle and no view of an attentive boyfriend's face leaning in close to hear my every word.

"I'm listening, Peony."

"She wasn't in _heels_," I whispered to his stomach.

"That is quite the scandal. You're more apt in this area, but perhaps we should call an Italian fashion guru or notify Chanel?"

"Don't be a smartass. Natalia's got a thing for Prada, but my main point is she's always in heels. They're like her comfort item."

"Oh, I doubt two inch heels are any women's comfort attire."

"She's, like, connected to them. They're like her _soul_."

"That's a poor pun."

"What?" (I get it now; soul and sole. Clever, bastard, clever).

"Never mind, Peony. I actually have something to say on the subject of the young lady. She stopped by the clinic two evenings ago and she did something rather interesting."

Again, I snorted some of my drink into my nose when Jade said this because I could only imagine what "interesting" things Natalia seemed to like doing with attached, gay men.

"Oh good God, did she jump you too?"

"Ah, so you finally told me about that ripple in your day. No, she did not nor could I ever imagine her attempting so with me. No, she spent an hour of my time talking about street names and ranting about my impolite assumptions before taking an additional ten minutes to apologize for attempting to seduce you."

(I can quote perfectly my next line with no help from Jade).

"Oh," I said while sitting back on my stool, "That was nice of her."

"Our ideas of kindness must stand on opposite sides of the spectrum."

"Wait, so the reason why you brought pain down on me last night was because Natalia threw herself on me? Jealousy isn't like you, especially not with a woman, not a woman like Natalia. She's my boss' daughter."

"My appetite had nothing to do with Natalia's appetite."

I took a moment to let Jade's words float to the bottom of my soaked mind before saying, "Ah. So I was in trouble because Natalia...is Natalia."

"Correct."

"Oh Yulia's cheagle, man, I'm sor – y'know I love you right?"

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>If I didn't know he loved me then I certainly would have figured it out by the twelfth time he said it as we walked out of the bar. The weather wasn't so bad, there were a couple centimetres of snow on the walk, but the roads were worn clear and the temperature could only be slightly below freezing. So when a rather inebriated Peony asked to take a walk down a certain nook of the city, I allowed it and perhaps was more inclined to the idea considering I too felt the warm affects of alcohol.<p>

"Five bucks says they're still out singing on the porch in this weather," Peony said as he slung his arm around my shoulders.

"We are grown men in well paying professions. Five dollars is hardly a loss to either of us," I reasoned.

"Fine. Ten bucks and the loser has to do the dishes for a week...naked."

"I wonder how Maestro Mohs and his clergy members will feel about that when we entertain them next week."

"I wouldn't care if my hosts walked around naked and also, Mohs is asking _my_ company for donations so he has to kiss up to _my_ ass."

"Yes, your drunken arse."

"Yeah, _my_ drunk arse. Not really though. His cause is a good one so I'm prepared to throw cash at him if that will actually help."

"_Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose..."_

"I win," Peony said as he pinched my side and trampled my feet.

"I never entered the wager," I enlightened him as we turned onto their street. They were louder than usual and I didn't find the voice singing as attractive.

"_Hey, feeling good was good enough for me mmm mmm, good enough for me and my Bobby McGee..._"

"Huh, Tear doesn't sound as good tonight," Peony commented.

The trio was just breaking into a series of _la la la'_s and laughing when as we made our way up the porch. My ears, admittedly, had been foggy for a little while, so when I heard the lead vocals caterwauling from the deck, I was mildly concerned that Tear's voice had been affected by her sickness. Crossing the lawn, I realized this voice could not be Tear's for I had heard her sing while sick and even phlegm laden and crackling, her voice was still beautiful. Upon setting my foot on the first step of the porch I placed the voice and, quite fascinatingly so, the happy alcoholic glow left me. The voice _that shall accompany_ my sobriety.

Luke and Guy were intricately wrapped together, yet still free enough to play the guitar (yes, Peony, this time you would be correct in calling it a guitar) and to laugh the lyrics out. Tear was nowhere to be found and once the song was done and after a couple inquires, we found out that she was resting inside. And lo and behold, the princess of peroration was sitting crossed legged on the porch playing Guy's sitar a great deal better than she was singing. Needless to say, Peony and I didn't stay long with the trio, or rather quartet.

* * *

><p>The next week blew in about a foot of snow as well as some strange disruptions in quite a few of our friends' lives as well as mine and Peony's. Naturally Natalia disbanding from her father's company and leaving her high social status to live with the bohemian youth was an odd twist in the social design, but her dispersal from society, though a great change, was not such a catastrophic dissonance as following events.<p>

I suppose it is fair to enlighten our readers as to why I had been visiting the trio, now quartet. Initially I journeyed to set Peony's mind at ease and secondly motivated to settle my own curiosity. Neither task was easy considering the group did not initially trust me (the bat and the splinter of nailed wood rest where the welcome mat ought to have been was a strong indication of mistrust) and Peony has a penchant for dramatics and romantic themes, which the bohemian trio has. While gaining their trust I began to suspect that each of the youths had more reasons to live the life they were currently living than issues so simple that they could be pointed at a single person or economic pitfall. Upon gaining their trust (and dare I say, something like a distanced camaraderie) I learned that my suspicions were true.

Luke was the first to willingly answer questions, but how would I go about asking questions about a subject – my apologies, that seems rather vulgar given what I now know – about a life that I had only just walked in upon. I would be like a blindfolded man asking about his surroundings with very little cues as to where he is and yet he must ask questions to discover. Instead of stumbling about looking for clues in Luke's psyche while asking questions that I have not received proper psychological training to ask, I decided to have him tell me 'his story'. And he did. Not long after Guy offered his own tale and Tear had promised hers as well. She would have made good of her promise sooner had she not fallen ill. (Our readers are likely worried now that Tear is terminally ill and may never have the chance to tell her own story. She was not so ill from her virus that it ever posed a threat to her life and she is sound of health now, or as sound as possible for one in her position).

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>Sorry, Jade, but I've gotta interject. You didn't tell me about <em>any<em> of those stories until after your Holy Tantrum, so, just so you guys who are reading know, all of the _stuff_ that happened over the next couple days just fucked up my brain. Man, I thought I was reliving my high school days. Who knew the drama kid who smoked out on the roof of his 18th century manor would become some bigwig for some company in some big city. Actually, with a vague description like that it's believable (and I still don't know where I am and what I'm doing half the time).

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>(Of course, Peony, interrupt my narrative. It only brings on suspense and furthers the reader's anxiety and frustration. Considering how few secrets we have actually told up to this point, our readers must be ravenous and howling for our blood. So talk and interrupt as much as you like, drain your popularity to the last drop. And please do not refer to that future event as "my Holy Tantrum", it embarrasses me so and I do have a weak heart and such a dependence on what people think of me).<p>

It was early December and the first blizzard of the year. I was at the clinic and, despite living and working in a city that never sleeps, my coworkers and I decided to lock the clinic door early. Peony, being the committed gentleman that he is, abandoned the ship that was his work when I told him I would be home early. He went to meet me at our apartment where we would be entertaining the heads of St. Lorelei that night. They wouldn't be expected until late evening, but with the slate clouds dashing out the sunset, I wondered if they would come at all.

I was behind the receptionist's desk at about five to five and all but a small lamp on the desk, was dark. The windows let in enough of a light to make the passing of a body before the door cast a shadow across the room. I wouldn't have thought anything of it except that the shadow twitched and flitted again across the room. It drew my attention and luckily so. I looked up to see Guy, rather Guy's back, at the clinic door and he appeared rather distressed.

Though I hurried to the door, Guy had had enough time to pace a couple buildings down the street before he realized that I had called his name. Upon seeing me he bolted even faster back.

I remember very well what poet's call a _strange light_ in the young man's eye and he was near to tears with stress. I also remember very well the bright red of his cheeks, hued that colour because he had run the several blocks to my clinic in a blizzard. And when I remember how he looked I recall how his mouth trembled and he spoke around a frown as he said, "Jade, I need your help."

And so began my wild goose chase in the first blizzard of December.

* * *

><p>Following Guy over garbage cans and jaywalking traffic jammed streets was the simplest path I took that night and the easiest to physically do. He is a rather smart young man and I suppose his friends' lives are a little safer with his existence. Through the blizzard we zigzagged to his little house squished between two massive and rundown buildings. The rushing of the wind quieted when we entered the house. I followed him at a quick pace in the dark interior, but saw very little due to my fogged glasses. I removed them and wiped the fog away while I entered their sleeping quarters half blind. However, I didn't need my eyes in order to deduce that this place and its people were more run down than usual.<p>

In the time it took to clean my glasses and push them back on my nose, I had taken note that Luke was speaking in a pathetic voice to Tear, and Natalia was in the corner of the room speaking rapidly and fearfully into her cell phone. Guy was standing near Tear and Luke with his back against the wall and head bowed.

I walked quickly over to Tear, knelt at her side and was instantly bombarded with a fragmented story of how Tear had become ill and how it was all Luke's fault from the very boy himself. I believe I told Luke to be silent in a tone that cooed the entire room's occupants. I then asked Luke to kindly move aside so that a medical professional could assess Tear's state and provide a legitimate cause for her pain instead of the barely contained hysterics and self-pity of a young man.

I lifted the blankets my patient was huddled under. Tear's met my gaze and tears leaked out her eyes as she shivered and gripped Luke's hand harder.

"I should have...told you sooner," she said to me.

"Yes," I replied and sagged a little further on my heels as I said, "you should have told _someone_ sooner."

There I was, sitting in a hovel with my briefcase full of very basic supplies for stitching, for staunching blood flow, disinfecting infecting wounds, and methods for practicing safe sex. None of the items in my repertoire would do and I doubted that anyone short of a genius could right what had been done to Tear at a simple clinic like the one I inhabited three days a week. As per usual, and to my growing annoyance, my adamant plea for Tear to be seen at a hospital was rejected, though less enthusiastically than any other time and not by everyone. Tear had just as adamantly replied 'no' to me while Guy and Luke muttered unenthused sentences that sympathized with hers. At their rejection, Natalia paused in her chattering to give me a horrified glance as she shakily held her cell phone to her red ear with a white hand.

I was impressed by her lack of words and I'm sure her father on the other end of the phone was grateful for a time to insert his opinion.

"Jade! Why aren't you doing anything?" Luke barked and Guy neither reprimanded him nor made any sort of agreement. Guy merely stood crossed armed and cross-legged with his head bowed. Perhaps he was thinking twice about negating the possibility of not visiting the attested hospital.

"What would you have me do? I have neither the instruments nor her medical history. Forgive me, Tear, I am a surprised and more than a little worried. I have heard and studied some about unsanctioned terminations, but happily I had never seen firsthand such a circumstance in all my years in medicine. This sets my teeth on edge, but the fault is not yours."

(And I was truly shocked and enraged that someone had dared to twist the practices of my career. Not only that, but the wrath of a currently silent feminist was the last hindrance I wished to deal with that night).

"What do you mean?" Luke asked me and then bent to ask close to Tear's face, "Tear, what's wrong? What is it? What did I do?"

"Luke..." Guy murmured and pulled the boy back. Luke struggled in Guy's embrace while Guy attempted to look stoic and composed for the both of them.

"Jade, I swear we were being safe and I didn't think I was being rough. I guess I must have-"

"Luke!" I along with Tear and Guy interjected. One child fell silent and another cleared her throat from the corner of the room.

"Um, Doctor Balfour, shouldn't you, or maybe someone specialized in-in this field, be attending to her? She's lost a bit of blood," Natalia said.

"My hands are tied," I supplied (Peony would have berated me).

The shadows from the fire pit moved across her face as she glared and swelled indignantly, then she seemed to remember the person on the phone and began speaking rapidly again.

"Tear, I urge you to seek medical attention from someone somewhere with far greater skill and repertoire of tools. You're a smart young woman; you must be able to guess the consequences."

"I understand, Doctor," she said and I watched a tear, whether from pain or understanding of her situation, roll from her eye and slip off her cheek. Embarrassedly she turned her face into the pillow.

"Dr. Balfour, Tear," Natalia said in a placated tone and held a hand over her phone's speaker piece, "What if Dr. Balfour was to treat you at his clinic?"

(Children these days, they really don't understand the importance of ethics).

I _tut_ted them as I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "Children these days, you really don't understand the importance of ethics."

The room groaned at my logic, except for Tear who groaned in growing pain. My eyes met Natalia's and I began to understand Peony's comparisons of this young lady and a lion (personally, I enjoy likening her to a crocodile). And so I _shall_ digress.

* * *

><p><strong>LUKE<strong>

It was a week and two days after I first ventured to the bohemian quartet's, trio's at the time, house. Luke and Guy were huddled on the porch. Guy had his sitar in hand and Luke lolling across his lap. Guy sang as he played, not as angelically as Tear, but more than decent. Luke, who I believe is capable of song, but not good song, hummed along. This closed mouth singing didn't seem to impress Guy for he kept strumming, but ceased singing. His lips parted but his teeth remained closed as he grinned and strummed. Luke continued humming, but he too was smiling.

"You can sing, Luke. C'mon, belt it out, man," Guy urged.

"Do I LOOK like I've got double Ds? Go get Tear if you want a singing partner," Luke quipped and slid his back down further.

Guy laughed, continued holding the song while they bantered, "Even I know that Tear's not that big. C'mon, I'll sing with you. _Hey, man, I gotta live my life..._"

Luke, with some prodding and egging on, consented to sing, tentatively at first and then on par with Guy. However, Guy petered off when the chorus gave way to the last stanza before the final chorus. Luke continued to sing, at first oblivious to his sole voice, but he quickly realized that Guy had vocally deserted him.

"_Now I can't say my name or tell you where I am, I want to blow myself away_ – Hey!"

(Peony would say something hopelessly romantic about being entangled and swept away by the music. There is nothing magical about mnemonics, in fact it's something very human, oh star-crossed lovers).

"Did you forget the lyrics?" Guy laughed and continued to play. Luke was then sitting on his knees with his hands at his hips. He glared at Guy while the latter laughed. "'Hey' doesn't come until the chorus. You fucked up, man."

"_I_ fucked up? You stopped singing!"

"I'll sing the chorus. _Hey! Man! I'm alive, I'm-_"

I was at the top of the porch as Luke wrenched the sitar from Guy's hands, to the tune of protest from the sitar's _twang_ and Guy's indignant "Hey!" All other protest was put aside as Luke muttered something insulting and crawled onto Guy's lap.

(Guy may have protested, but his balled up hands in the back of Luke's flannel jacket didn't suggest displeasure. My my, children and their throes of passion).

At the top of the stairs I greeted them, "Guy you may not want to lay on the deck without something to keep heat beneath you; you'll catch a cold. You should be fine though, Luke."

"Yulia and her angels, Jade! Can't you, like, _announce_ yourself when you come by?" Luke pushed off of Guy and yelped at me.

"My apologies. I was going to knock, but I believe it is common courtesy to greet the people you step over to get to the door, no matter how engrossed in each other they may be."

"Yeah, well, whatever. Come in," Luke said and graciously kicked the door open for Guy and me. I thanked him as I passed and he politely muttered how trying I am before removing his foot from the door and allowing it to slam shut.

Guy broke for the kitchen, promising tea for the three of us, but I declined. I won't be there long today for it was my night to cook for Peony and which I definitely couldn't miss.

(Peony would insist on dinning out if dinner wasn't prepared by the time he kicked his boots into the closet and tossed his coat over them, and I had more take-out in that week than I knew was good for me).

Guy nodded and was about to wander off to the kitchen anyway, when Luke called to him. Guy found Luke and I in the living room, which was unfurnished save for a hasty table made from two cinder blocks and a small billboard sign. Luke offered his fist to Guy, muttering to the ground that he had used up the last of the water and they were in need of a few other kitchen supplies.

(I had learned a few visits ago that they actually drew water from the factory beside them that had once produced metal alloys for various automotive and machine companies. There was a large reservoir beneath the factory that was likely used to cool the metal after being processed. The water in their house was murky with rust and dirt during the warm months, and inaccessible in the winter because it froze in the pipes if Guy didn't have the mind to clear them before the weather dropped below zero and burst them).

Guy continued to lean in the doorway while I stood before the table. He merely watched his lover sit on the ground with his fist extended while Luke grew red around the ears. The tension was palpable and I was likely smirking. (All this over money and groceries...what dramatic lives they led).

Guy simply replied with "Okay" and then took the money from Luke and presumably went to retrieve their water jug and head to the convenience store. When the screen door signalled Guy's dispersal, I stuck my hands in my pockets and looked down on Luke.

"Oh dear, what could you possibly have to say to me that you didn't want Guy to hear? If you have a STI you really should inform all your partners."

"I'm clean! We're all clean!" Luke barked and finally had enough courage to meet my eyes (his gaze was actually quite smouldering, I remember).

"Then what is it you wish to discuss?" I asked.

"Not really discuss. You said you were interested in how we all got here, and at first none of us trusted you," Luke made an awkward motion as he muttered truthfully to the floorboards, "You're kind of a bastard, y'know."

"And I suppose I have earned your trust. By the way, I have the results for the tests done on the well you drink from," I reached into my briefcase and handed the documents over. Luke didn't peruse them and set them on the corner of the billboard (they were more for Guy's perusal anyways). I informed him that the water was safe enough to drink, but suggested that they boil it anyway due to the factory not having to keep up on water safety regulations. Luke mumbled consent to his crossed legs, but was otherwise unresponsive.

I stood silently for a moment before taking a seat on the edge of the billboard. I spoke as I usually do to the sicker patients or new mothers I oversee at the general hospital four days a week.

"Is what you wish to tell me something that you have not shared with anyone before?"

"I've told Guy and Tear. We tell each other everything."

"Ah, but I'm an outsider."

"You're a _doctor_."

(He said the word like I ought to know the connotation of it to be taboo in genre. I didn't understand, but I would soon find out).

* * *

><p>*Luke*<p>

* * *

><p>I was about eight years old, I guess, when they got me and my brother. There were other twins at the facility, but the doctors were the most interested in Asch and me. The other twins were normal and we weren't, really.<p>

The earliest I actually remember being able to know what my brother was thinking was when I was five-ish (Asch brags that he remembers telling me to wash my hands when we were potty training, but I think he's full of shit). I remember sitting with my mother on the park bench and suddenly I heard Asch's angry voice. He was in the park bathroom and a man that he didn't know was talking to him. I told my mother what I had heard and I don't think she believed me, but she was worried.

We found Asch just outside the washroom talking with a man. My mom was relieved to find out that the man was a church guy and had been trying to find Asch's parents. Asch was upset that the guy thought he needed to be found and that I had told mom on him for running off. But mom and the man weren't upset, that were both really interested in us.

After a couple years of tests and people in white coats spending a lot of time with us at home, my brother and I were taken to the facility in this city. I remember thinking _I'm scared_ as mom walked me down the hall and Asch thought back to me _Don't be such a baby_ as he held on to her other hand. I think mom was worried too because she didn't want to leave us alone, but dad said it was okay and they left.

We stayed there a lot and late. It was always bright inside because a lot of the rooms were windowless and the walls were light coloured and the lights were usually on. Asch and I were always in separate rooms when we slept and mom (in the first years) always said goodnight to us.

When we were awake the doctors asked us questions in separate rooms about one another. Like, I'd be sitting on a stool and Asch had to say to the people that I was sitting on a stool without seeing me, just thinking. They would ask me how Asch was feeling and I would think about him and he'd think back, something like, _You haven't seen me in days. Tell them that._

When I told them what he said they kept asking how he felt so I would think to him and I would feel how angry he was. He scared the shit out of me then. He was _furious_ and I'd tell them that he was really angry and repeat that I hadn't seen him in days. They would write when I spoke and when I felt Asch's hate and was crying they would write faster and ask why I was crying.

I was so messed up in there. I felt weird with the doctors. They were nice and smiled, but they only ever asked me about what they wanted to. Like, I lost my first tooth when I was six and my mom had been really proud, same thing for the next one. So I thought the doctors would be excited or proud or something when I found out I lost one at the facility. They didn't really seem to care, they just asked me about what Asch was thinking. And Asch was really overpowering, he could, like, make me forget my own thoughts and I would just stand there screaming because I couldn't move or couldn't think. I shied away from him and hated when the doctors would ask me to think on him. He was always angry and when he thought on me I was always sad. I just wanted everyone to go away and I just wanted to go home.

After maybe five years of being in and out of that place, I started to notice Asch was getting weirder. The doctors kept us almost fulltime at the facility because they said that this was a critical time in our lives and that our abilities may change along with our bodies. They had volunteer teachers come in to teach us for a couple hours a day, but I never really learned much. My teacher was an old idiot and was important to some church. He only wanted to teach me churchy things like the Lorelei's score or Yulia's sermons. Asch had a teacher too and I heard one of his and the teacher's conversations once when I was asked to think on him. I pretty much remember the words exactly.

Asch said, _I want out and you promised me you would take me out!_

Van said, _I am going to take you out, you just have to be-_

_I've been patient for six fucking years. Get me out before I get my own self out of this hellhole forever. Fuckin' Luke! What are you doing, you shit? Get out! Get out of my fucking head!_

I didn't know what to tell the doctor. I was about to just repeat what he said to me, but Asch came at me in my head.

_Tell him and I'll make you crazy. Tell on me and I'll kill us both. I'm not staying here because shit like you is too weak to push the doctors away. God, if you had grown a spine we could have gotten out of here years ago. You could never learn anything. Don't bother thinking on me anymore, I'm done with this and with you._

And then he must have done something to me, must have thought something on me, something that had happened to him. He put one of his memories in my head, a memory from when he was being taught something, but not by the man who would take him away. He was being taught a lesson by another teacher and he was terrified when the memory took place and I was terrified sharing it. The embarrassment Asch felt when he was naked and the pain he felt shoot up his spine, I felt that too. The memory wasn't mine, but I watched it like a movie, but I guess the camera would have been my eyes. And whatever happened with the actors happened to me.

I realized shortly after that the teacher who taught me was the guy who had done that to Asch. The man that Asch had talked to in the park, and had become his teacher after Asch had struck out against the guy who had hurt him, was the same man that would take him out of the facility. His name was Van.

When the memory ended I was screaming and crying. For the whole week after I was like that. Asch and Van did leave. For a month after, the doctors paid more attention to me than they ever did. They asked me where Asch was and who he was with. I might have told them he was with Van, but I can't remember. Life was blurry then and I couldn't reach Asch. He had found a way to keep me out of his head. I knew he wasn't dead. I just knew.

Mom didn't come to get me right away. She was sick and dad was busy with our family's business and taking care of her, so they asked if the doctors could keep me for one more week. They consented, but they didn't keep me very well. I was allowed to go out of my room and into other wings now that I wasn't useful. Halfway through that week I did the smartest and bravest thing I've ever done. I walked out of the facility. There was a receptionist behind the desk talking on the phone, but she had her eye on me. I looked at the sliding doors and back to her, but she didn't get up or yell at me when I walked farther from her. So I kept walking and wondering when she'd get me. At one point she yelled, but she didn't yell at me, actually, she just laughed really loud on the phone. I ran out the doors. I didn't believe that my parents were coming for me because it had been almost a week since Asch left and I hadn't seen my mom in two months. I really didn't believe she'd come for me.

I was terrified at being out in the world, but I felt happiness even more so than fear. I didn't have to go back to that place, see those people who really didn't care, be worried that Asch was some two doors over planning our joint suicide (I-I might have even said okay to that...). I did start to worry after the first night. I was a fourteen year old brat in a city that I had grown up in, I guess, but literally in it without being a part of it. I guess I was pretty lucky that it was mid-summer when I left otherwise I probably wouldn't have kept warm. My first day out I just walked. I walked in crowds and crossed streets. I went through malls and got lost on a street filled with television screens. I stayed away from churches and hospitals, but I walked through a lot of parks. At night was when I really started to worry. I kind of gravitated towards really lit up areas of town and didn't really sleep for a couple days. I was worried that they'd find me when I fell asleep, but if I kept moving – y'know how moms always tell you to stay put if you get lost while shopping? They say it's 'cause it's easier to find you, but if you're running around then you may never meet. That's what I thought. And it's kind of how I lived for a year and a half.

In the day time I would walk around a little bit, but I also went to the central library. There I could sleep on, like, the fourth floor back in the unpopular sections. No one really reads newspapers that are, like, older than three years unless they're looking for something specific. And every once in a while I'd actually read something because I couldn't sleep or to look like I actually belonged there.

At night I'd go outside though and hang around lit up squares. I spent half the night pretending like I was waiting for buses, but walking away five minutes before they came to another route and wait again. On really cold nights I would sit in Tim Hortons and as long as I didn't fall asleep I was allowed to stay there. I guess I wasn't that subtle though because I was found near the end of the second fall. I was actually pretty lucky that Noir found me. The city's really big, but she knows every little person in it, or that's what she says. I think I get it.

She owns a couple businesses; she owns a café, a thrift store, convenience store, a restaurant, a club and a bar. She can keep it all running because she only employs her family and she can trust her family because her family are her friends, and after meeting Guy and Tear, I get that too.

So she noticed me and took me in, I guess. I didn't trust her right away, but she didn't ask me to. She just asked me if I wanted some of the leftover bagels from that day before she threw them to the rats, and I said sure. This happened for a while before one night she sat herself down at the booth I was eating her throwaways at. I got nervous and thought about leaving, but she held up her hands.

"Trust me, kid, had I wanted to hurt you I would have done so by now. You've been eating my food for the past two weeks and it would have been so easy to slip you something, but obviously I haven't. Now, can we have a little chat?"

I think I put the bagel down, not out of politeness, but more because I was thinking she might have poisoned or roofied me. She smiled, probably because she had me squirming (Noir's kind of like that, kind of like you, Jade. Only more...hip).

"What's your name? And no, you don't have to tell me your full name or even your real name, but just give me something to call you."

"Uh, Luke."

"Luke. Hello, Luke. I'm Noir," she said and offered me her hand. I stared at her fingerless gloved hands and watched all her bangles slide on her wrist. When I didn't take it she smiled, _hmm_ed and then leaned back in the booth. I didn't know what to think of her, but my heart was racing and I felt tense. She was older, maybe 36 or something, it was hard to tell 'cause she was dressed like, uh, I guess like a twenty year old, uh, performer. She'd even dyed her hair neon pink and had it cut really short. Her skirt and shirt were short too. She was really good with people, especially guys.

"So, Luke, I've noticed you walking around. It looks like you're looking for someone, maybe somewhere? Sometimes it looks like you're waiting for those someones and somewheres."

"Uh..."

I didn't know what to say. She hadn't really asked me anything, but she just leaned on the table, looking me in the eye, smiling. Her bangles and earrings and eye makeup all kind of shimmered at me.

"Um, I guess, maybe?"

Her smile dulled a little, but she kept speaking to me warmly, kind of like how other moms talk to their kids' friends, cool moms at least.

"Yes, maybe. Oh my, you are young, aren't you? And I don't just mean you age, sweetie. You must know that the snow will come soon. Will you still spend the night walking?"

"Yeah, probably."

She laughed a little to herself and I sidled to the edge of the booth, ready to leave. She stopped me though. She just called my name as I walked to the door. I looked around, ready to run if it looked like she'd try to stop me. She was just sitting in the booth. Her colourful body was turned towards where I stood with her elbows resting on her knees and her chin in her hands. She was smiling and shimmering still.

"I know you can't tell me everything, but if we exchange trusts, well, then I have a place for you for the winter. Come around if you think you can. And don't be silly, take your food with you."

I did do what she suggested, uh the food and the coming around business. It wasn't snowing yet, but there was frost on the ground. I think what really pushed me to give Noir a chance, and life another chance, was I saw my brother. He was with Van and he looked almost happy. Asch and Van were going into the mall in the square downtown. I...followed them, lingering in the crowds. I watched Van buy clothes for my brother, and shoes and stop at a Cinnabon for a treat. I followed them out of the mall, but walked the opposite way. I went to Noir's before it even got dark.

Noir didn't ask me to tell her all about myself, she just asked me to give her a general reason as to why I wandered the streets. I told her it was family issues and she just nodded. She asked me if I was on anything or a part of anything dangerous and I said no. I began working for her, but not anything to do with people since she said anyone with eyes could tell I probably shouldn't be working fulltime at my age. I washed dishes at the café until I was seventeen. I got close with Noir and her family. I started remembering how to actually be a part of society. I remembered how to talk with people, how to interact. She owned all the lofts above her businesses and she gave me a place to stay so long as I followed her rules, most of which I hadn't even thought of breaking.

Around my sixteenth birthday I told her everything that had led me to wandering the streets. I thought she would think I was lying, and for a couple moments she just stared at me with her hands on her hips. I remember staring really hard at her bright pink nails as they tapped her hip. Then she said, "You know, little light 'o mine, I might not have believed you if I didn't remember the headlines years ago about psychic twins. Was it true you could actually read each other's minds?"

"Uh, yeah, but we can't now. And I don't want to try, so don't even ask."

"Put your claws away, kitten. I'm not going to box you up and prod you for questions. It's a terribly fascinating tale and I wish it had never been told, baby. You didn't deserve that, little light 'o mine."

She did say that she felt guilty I spent my days in the kitchen, and was worried that I was too boxed in there. So when I was almost seventeen and healthy looking again, she moved me to her bar. I got used to the kitchen staff, then became a busboy and then was upgraded to waiter. I really did relearn what it was like to be outside the walls and inside society. Well, there were one or two moments where I was immobilized by fear, I guess, or maybe Asch, or maybe it was Asch who put the fear in me. One time Noir was there to stop me from hurting myself, the other time someone else was there and he was my first.

I was waiting tables and getting really good at it. I could chat up girls, talk down drunks and make people smile. So when I saw a guy a little older than me at one of my tables not looking too happy, I thought I could help him out. He was sitting by himself and frowning at the seat opposite him. I walked up and asked if I could get him a drink. He was really friendly and he stopped moping the minute I came up. He was just so nice, he turned the simplest of phrases into really kind words.

Like I would say, "Hey, my name's Luke and I'll be your server. How're you doing tonight?"

And he would beam, salute me and say, "Hey, Luke. Glad to have you here, man. I'm living and life's just a little rough these days. I bet someone as bright as you doesn't have to deal with jerks."

I hadn't really had to think about anything beyond customers and friendship, but the guy...I kind of wanted him to order beer so I could check his ID and, in a totally not creepy way, learn his name. I was actually pretty lucky since he did order alcohol and I did ask for his ID. His name was Guy Cecil and he was actually almost twenty years old. I got to chat with him quite a bit that night; he stayed late even though he didn't have anyone meet up with him. He also came around again the next night and the night after that too. But the second time he came around I wasn't his waiter so the third night he didn't sit down right away. He stopped me as I was going to refill a pitcher. He just tapped my shoulder and when I turned around I was a little surprised. He looked so happy.

"Oh, hey!"

"Hey, Luke. Guess we missed each other last night."

"Yeah? Well, I was here and I did see you. You just weren't sitting in my area and I was pretty busy so I couldn't really stop to talk."

"Hey, it's no biggie. If you've got time and want to chat just direct me to your area and I'll wait for you."

* * *

><p>Guy didn't stay as long that night and I was a little disappointed. He was a lot of fun to talk to, he left good tips and wasn't bad to look at, so I wouldn't have minded if he became a regular. Noir was working at the bar that night and I think she was getting a little annoyed at how much time I was spending at Guy's table (but it wasn't like there were that many people there). As punishment she had me stay to take out the garbage in the frigid weather. The garbage actually wasn't that bad, but there was someone else in the back alley where the dumpsters were.<p>

I had the door propped open with the coffee tin filled with sand the smokers of Noir's family use to put the butts in. It actually wasn't that cold out and I only remember because I ended up facedown on the gravel at some point.

There was a guy by the dumpsters and as I got closer he whistled. I just ignored him and opened the dumpsters to throw the trash into. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and I told him to pick it up and keep the streets clean (I would have to sweep it up anyway since part of garbage duty is to sweep up the back alley. I never really understood why it was important to keep the dumpster area clean until that night. No one went down there except garbage men, at least that's what you would assume. This guy though just didn't like anything I had to say).

He laughed at me and I rolled my eyes before heading back to go get the broom. Instead of going through the doorway I was pushed into the door and the coffee can flew out and I was locked outside thanks to the guy who had littered and then pushed me. I wasn't worried about the cold so much then. I was kind of scared how close he was standing behind me. I think I called him a name and told him to fuck off, but he just wasn't listening.

"You came out here for a reason," he said and pushed up against my back. I pounded on the door and tried to shrug the guy off, but he had a really strong grip on my arm.

"Y-yeah to throw garbage out. Wouldja just piss off?"

I was actually feeling really nervous at that point. He had his hand over the one I had been pounding on the door with and his other hand was on my jeans (I don't like talking about this part). When he grabbed the front of my pants really suddenly I jumped and hit his stomach with my elbow. He came at me with his fist and that's when I hit the dirt.

He was rubbing his stomach as he spoke, and I don't know what scared me more was what he did or what he said. He sat on top of me, pinched my cheeks with his one hand and pretty much snarled, "That's no way to treat a lady. So they say you're psychic, that you share things, even pain. I hope that's true."

I didn't know who she was and the voice was so low and husky that I really thought she was a man. She was also rough and strong like one. When I yelled at her she hit me and threatened worse. She didn't care if I cried so long as it wasn't too loud. She had me undressed pretty fast. I wasn't thinking about the cold ground or even the bar anymore. I was thinking about what Asch had shared with me years ago and how the terror of that nightmare and this place felt the same. I hurt and I was trying to keep quiet and still so that it would end quickly. I put my hands over my face and tried not to think at first, but then I reached out for Asch. I wanted to know how he gotten through this and what I should do. She was pressing her weight down on me and slipping her hand to places that I hadn't even thought about letting people touch until recently when I found out that I could trust people. That maybe I was normal enough now for someone to be this close.

I didn't get a response from Asch, but I'm pretty sure he heard me. All I got from him was numbness.

I kept my hands over my face and only looked at her once because I heard her make an odd noise. It sounded like she was crying too, and she was. I asked her to stop, but she wouldn't. Not until Guy bowled her over. I had my hands over my face when I felt her hand ripped away from me. I heard Guy yelling, but I just kind of curled in on myself while he chased her off. She didn't get me and wouldn't now, that fear was gone. But I was so embarrassed. I was muddy, on the ground, crying and half naked, I just...

"Hey, Luke. She's gone now, okay? You hear me?" Guy said.

He had his hand resting really lightly on my arm and was brushing my shoulder with his thumb. He calmed me down and slowly the thoughts of Asch just faded away. I was awake enough to pull my pants up and rub my eyes. Guy helped me sit up against the wall of the bar. He even swiped the dirt from my knees before sitting quietly next to me in the dirty alley. When I had better control of myself he spoke softly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't quicker. I was standing at the front of the bar, waiting to see if you'd come out. I heard you, but I thought it was just the regular people getting it on in the back alley. Then when I heard crying and someone saying 'stop' I thought I'd better check it out. Luke, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I said while wiping my eyes on my sleeve. At some point he had put his arm around my shoulders and I felt a little safer sitting like that in the alley. "You actually stopped her. I couldn't, I just, I-"

"Luke..."

* * *

><p>Guy...he's a good guy, a great guy. He blames himself still for some of the bad things that have happened to me, but it's really not his fault.<p>

After I was attacked he walked me home, which really wasn't far considering I live in the loft above the bar. He also kept stopping by the bar a couple times a week and after about a month we started hanging out outside of work.

It was the same night that I found Tear that I...had my first kiss (and don't pull that face, it wasn't fireworks or after some stupid date). He was just milling about the alley way with me while I swept it up. We were just shooting the shit and somehow love life and junk came up. He said he'd had a couple boyfriends, but only one girlfriend when he was in high school. The girl was more or less a beard. I said I hadn't been with anyone. It felt awkward to say that too. He stared at me as I scraped broken glass and butts into the dumpster and when I closed the lid he was still watching me.

"What? Think I can't get a date?" I asked.

"Nah, I just can't believe no one's asked you," he said as he pushed off the dumpster. He stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets and just kind of looked me over. Then he shrugged and said without batting an eye or even blushing (he's so...cheesy), "You're adorable, Luke. I'd do a lot just to share one kiss with you."

"Oh, really? That's...nice."

I thought he was going to do it then 'cause he moved, but he just shrugged again.

"If you swing my way, then yeah, it is nice."

I was curious and Guy was just standing there like...I don't know! He was just standing there like the walls of the bar. Just standing there. He wasn't looking at me like I was a piece of meat, but he was watching me, like he was waiting for a sign. I must have given him one because after a second of something like frustration and panic that he was just standing there, we were kissing. And it did feel nice. He was good, still is good. I like how he does those stupid things, like, he bumps his nose against mine or laughs at the end of a kiss that was awkward or funny somehow. Like our first one. He said it was funny that we were making out in the alley way where couples came to screw, not "make a moment."

I wasn't sure what to say to that and I was a bit distracted, so I kind of told him I was a virgin. He blushed, then fell into my arms and laughed into my shoulder.

I said goodnight to him once I was done with the garbage and he said he'd call me tomorrow and we could go out if I wanted. I said that sounded fine and we parted ways. I went back inside to help with cleaning and then back outside to climb the fire escape to my room. I was on the second landing when I heard someone in the alley way below. There was a girl and a guy and maybe it was my imagination or my nightmare, but I thought she was in trouble. He had her up against the wall and she just looked so stiff in his arms.

I went back down quickly and quietly, got behind the dumpster and grabbed the piece of pipe that Guy had put there in case anyone got near me again. Then I jumped out and gave the guy a warning blow to the middle of his back. The guy went down on his knees and the girl stood frozen against the wall. The guy took off, swearing at me and calling her names. For a while I was worried the girl would turn around and punch me because she tried calling the guy back and even ran a couple steps after him. When it was clear he wasn't coming back she wandered over to me, to stand in the light above the back door. She didn't look angry, but she didn't look happy either. Her head kind of hung low and she had her arms wrapped around her shoulders.

We didn't speak right away and while we stood around I tried to figure her out. She was wearing a uniform, one of those church school uniforms, but it looked odd on her. Not that she looked like she couldn't belong to a good school (she was and is pretty), but the uniform looked old and a couple sizes too small. That and it could start snowing in the next couple days, but she had on just the uniform and black heels and no tights or anything on her legs. Even under the small light I could see her lips were blue.

"You look cold," I said.

She didn't answer and kept staring at her shoes. After a couple seconds she muttered something.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I said you owe me money," she whispered and finally looked me in the eye. She really was pretty, but cold too, and a little guilty looking. She hugged herself tighter as she said, "That man only gave me part of the payment because I only ask for half first. You attacked him so you owe me...and probably him too, but I don't think you'll be able to find him, to apologize."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry, uh, I guess. I thought he was attacking you."

"He wasn't," she said and frowned as she turned her face away.

"Well, you didn't look like you were enjoying yourself."

She was quiet again and I was kicking myself a bit for being rude. I didn't mean to be, she really didn't look happy.

She sighed, "Maybe not, but that's how the night goes. You had good intentions, so thank you. I'll leave now."

"Wait, that doesn't seem fair," I said and blocked her way. She looked up at me coldly, but stayed put to listen. "I – well, it isn't fair. You look cold and lonely. Plus I did kind of, uh, ruin your...business. I owe you, I do. So why don't you come up to my place and I'll make it up to you."

"Do you have money?"

"Uh...that's not what I meant."

"Well, what did you mean?"

"I _mean_ that I'll give you food and maybe a coat at least. Y'know, things that will actually help you."

She stared at me and I was getting really sick of people staring at me (seriously? What good does just looking at someone do if you're trying to get to know one another? Plus it was cold). She finally dipped her head and said alright. I led her up the fire escape and on the way up I remembered what I should have said to her in the first place.

"My name's Luke and I work at this bar. What's your name?"

"I'm Tear," she said, "and I...work outside."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.:<strong> Luke's a little awkward :P and he doesn't always see the full picture, but his nature's pure. Good thing he's got Guy to save his ass and Tear to beat it. And Tear turning tricks... :( that's not like her at all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**

Jade tells Guy's story while juggling three voluntary charges and denying he has anything more than curiosity in the way of caring for the bohemians. Peony sets the table and blows smoke about playing housewife without his Jade. Guy knows it's darkest before the dawn.

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** This story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

**4)** I never know when to update...I guess I can do it daily. Ha ha! This fic will be done by then end of the week.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 3: Guy<strong>

Natalia had been on the phone with either her father or her driver, for one of the many Lanvaldear cars honked its horn after only ten minutes of reaching the decision that I would, quite out of reach of the law, treat Tear at the clinic. Though I knew my presence was best served at Tear's side, I had slipped outside to call Peony. I informed him that a last minute patient had shown up and out of the goodness of my heart, I had consented to treat her.

I imagined Peony shrugging as he said, "That's fine, Jade, but just a heads-up; our dinner guest for tonight will be here later, probably more like 8:30-ish. The storm's calming, but traffic will be a bitch."

"Ah, yes, the church of St. Lorelei. You've set the table with the good china?"

"About to."

"And you've taken the shrimp ring out to thaw?"

"The future me will have that done two seconds after you hang up."

"And you've washed the potatoes before cooking them?"

"Y'know, maybe we should be elitist like our parents and just hire maids and cooks to abuse. All of this kitchen common sense is eluding me."

"I'm glad to hear that everything is going smoothly at home. You may want to use a touch less sarcasm when conversing with our guests."

"Then maybe you should just not come home, huh?"

"I quite like that advice."

"Ha, ha, just kidding, Jade. Come home, please. Don't leave me with the bible thumpers!"

"I wouldn't worry about them spewing dogma all over your unwashed potatoes. I read an article on the leader of the new branch of St. Lorelei that portrayed Maestro Ion as open-minded and quite the humanitarian."

At this point the Lanvaldear's black Lexus pulled up to the walk and honked three times.

"Lorelei, Jade. What the hell was all that?" Peony swore.

The original bohemian trio was ushered past me while Natalia hissed and poked at my back.

"Like you said," I replied while Natalia looped her arm in mine and dragged me to the car, "transportation is a bitch. Goodbye, Peony."

* * *

><p>Guy was kind enough to carry Tear in while Luke aided Natalia in the snowdrifts. I beat all the young adults to the door and unlocked it (not really all that surprising; Guy navigated the drifts and ice swifter than Luke and Natalia's combined efforts).<p>

I went ahead, flicked on lights and adjusted the thermostat before heading to one of the rooms at the back. The table was, of course, already prepared for patient inhabitation, but I took five seconds (for that was all Guy's amazing stamina allowed) to remind myself of the tools I had in the clinic and of the skills I had in my own hands. I remember thinking, _if only I had had the hospital's equipment_.

Guy set Tear down gently on the table with some assistance from me. He smiled at her, squeezed her hand and then exited the room. He hadn't gone far for I heard him speak to Luke right outside the door.

I prepared myself as well as offered some insight and comfort to the young lady shaking on my table. She was very wan and when Luke entered the room to give her a kiss and offer hope, she turned to the wall with a heavy sigh.

"Thank you," she murmured while Luke hovered at her side. She crinkled the paper as she rubbed at her eyes. Luke ran a hand down her shoulder and asked if she wanted him to stay. I would have advised against it, besides the fact that visitors ought not to be in an operating room, even a would-be one, but Tear immediately negated his request.

"I'll be fine," she said.

"Because you're strong," Luke replied. Her rubbed her arm once more and then slunk from the room. Guy met him at the door, gave me a look and a slow nod to which I just adjusted my glasses then set to work. Guy closed the door and presumably led Luke to the waiting area.

I had a pair of gloves laid near my tools, all sanitized, and was prepared to administer a low-risk opiate. Tear had wincingly rolled over to lie on her back with her knees shyly kissing and her fingers gripping at the edge of the table. I put down the syringe and stood before her with my hands tucked in my pockets.

"I don't aim to be conceited, but you have very little to fear from someone as gifted as myself, Tear."

"I know," she said, yet the bones of her knuckles pushed the blood from the skin.

"I am very adept and, though I have said that I wish the conditions for the procedure were different, I know I will be successful. I can stop the bleeding and the pain, as well as put right what another wronged."

I laid a hand on hers that was gripping the edge of the table closest to mine. Her fingers loosened on the table and curled in my palm, limply due to her physical weakness and mental fragility. I have felt six-month olds with stronger grips than hers was then.

I was letting go of her hand and turning to pull my gloves on when she whispered something. I caught what she said, but wasn't sure whether she truly meant for me to hear it and, if she did, whether I was to take it as a question or a vocalization of hope (living in the future and with a foolish romantic, I omit the question mark).

"You can make me whole."

* * *

><p><strong>Guy<strong>

When Luke had just begun to tell me of how he met Tear, the porch door banged closed and the deliberate tromp of steps audibly mapped Guy's path to the kitchen. Thoughtful and respectful as Guy was of Luke's space, Luke hushed and his cheeks rouged as he stared at the floor. Taking this quick silence as the end of a partial tale that wasn't exactly told expertly, I straightened up and thanked the red-faced young man sitting before me.

"Thank you for your honesty, Luke. I understand your aversion to doctors and the like. I suppose it is not all that consoling and a bit presumptuous for one feather to represent the colour of the flock, but I am truly sorry for how you were treated. Curiosity didn't so much kill the cat as it did the child."

"Uh, right."

I fastened my coat and said my farewell, but Luke hastily interjected. I paused at the opening and Luke got to his feet.

"Just so you know, there's not much else to my story, really. Tear started working for Noir as a waitress and eventually we moved in with Guy," Luke rolled his shoulders and kicked a pebble across the floor, "They know about me, we all know about each other. It's just I don't like a whole bunch of eyes on me, besides, it's _my_ story and it's just easier to talk about with only one person. I'm not hiding anything from Guy. He's my...best friend, y'know?"

"I would agree, however, Peony and I have never had the desire to incorporate a third person in our relationship, let alone a woman. Unless we count Saphir, but I'm afraid doing so would bring shame to the female gender. Less sarcasm, more sincerity; I understand your position. Again, thank you, but I do need to leave."

And so I left.

Two days later I heard another part of the bohemian triad. I was paged a couple hours earlier than expected for work. Peony slept through the summons, but I suppose I was feeling lonely at four in the morning because I woke him.

"Leaving? It's six already?" he yawned.

"Almost," I said as I pulled back from our embrace, "It's ten after four."

"Oh good Lorelei..."

A little under an hour later I was at the hospital. Though the snow wouldn't arrive for another week and a half, the black ice had appeared and brought in many careless drivers and unfortunates of the careless drivers. My hands were horribly busy for the next six hours and I only thought to take a break when my stride was broken by one of the nurses.

"Dr. Curtiss-"

"Balfour, please, Ms. Brunel," I interrupted her while I signed for a simple prescription of amoxicillin.

"Oh, sorry," the little nurse said with a dip of her head.

Up until six months ago the entire hospital staff, except for those working primarily in the ER and the people on the fourth floor, who for whatever reason never speak nor smile at anyone except those on their floor, all treated me with the caution one would adopt while tiptoeing up to a bear. Those days of tyranny ended when Peony sauntered in with his great, foolish beam and hooked me in his arm. Not knowing we were lovers then, all eyes in the waiting room, staff and patients, went wide. I don't think I am exaggerating in supposing that the nurse at the receptionist's desk penciled in Peony's name onto the waiting list when I greeted him stiffly.

My foolhardy partner took in the stunned room while crushing my sternum into his. With ever the romantic smirk he said to me, "Everyone here is looking at me like I'll be flayed alive. You've got them all quivering under your iceberg of a thumb, huh?"

Ms. Brunel, heart of gold, mind a little hollower, was the one to approach Peony. Diagnosing him as delusional, if not suicidal, she gently took his hand while giving me a fearful look from behind her clipboard. She tried to lead him to a seat but, like a tugboat pulling a cheerful ship and its exasperated anchor, she failed in leading either of us anywhere. Instead, with a hearty laugh, Peony swung the poor nurse into his arms and gave both her and I a squeeze. I huffed and she squeaked then, to me, muttered a tiny apology fitted for her mince body.

"Nonsense, no apology necessary. My Jade enjoys cuddles and coddles. And the more the merrier!" Peony announced as he squeezed me so tight I would never be able to get my rebuttal out. Still, Ms. Brunel protested and her cheeks turned to ripened crab apples so he let her go. I had no such luck.

"Having a good day, buddy?" he asked me.

"Peony, I am at work and need to continue to work, therefore-"

"Just stopping by to ask you out for lunch, but you look kind of busy, so I'll just go out by my lonesome and doggie bag something for you."

A flock of nurses by the receptionist's desk twittered and whispered about the brave and handsome man patting my back. The receptionist surveyed Peony over her glasses and grimly shook her head as she wrote down a list of possible injuries his blond head would unfortunately receive.

He squeezed me again and my glasses shimmed down my nose. With a patronizing sigh I slid them back up and said his meal arrangement sounded fine and asked if he would kindly relax his grip on me, it would be much appreciated. With a laugh, he grasped me once more, made my glasses slide again, but more or less released me. I say more or less because during his final clutch he cupped my face and kissed me for all the waiting room to see. The flock of nurses twittered a fluty and shocked chorus while the receptionist's pencil snapped and Ms. Brunel finally gave up on her tugging of Peony's elbow. My lips never moved and my eyes stared coldly up at his with the intensity and love of a train's light illuminating a wanderer on the track.

A runny nosed man remarked to his wife how it was unfair that Peony received special treatment with the doctor after such a short wait. He and his wife giggled until I gave him the same train-like stare and he went back to coughing. I only bother remembering the sick man because his wife dreamily remarked that no, it was not fair that only Peony received such treatment. While her husband started I smiled down at her.

Since that day the medical staff never quivers before me and the female half has a tendency to anoint me with adorable titles no matter what I order them to do. The gaggles of nurses seem to take my being gay as a sort fabric softener to my personality. It really is a pity since I have to repeat my instructions more often and frequently receive a "yes, dear" for my troubles.

I asked, "What is it, Ms. Brunel?"

"You have a visitor."

"Hopefully one that needs stitches or antibiotics for a STI?"

"No, silly, for lunch when you take your break," she simpered.

"Tell Peony he may dine without me, I have a great deal of reckless drivers to patch up still," I said as I turned away, thoroughly engaged in my clipboard.

"It's not your Peony, though, it's another blond man, a younger one," she said while chasing after me.

Immediately my curiosity peeked. I laid my pen on my clipboard and turned to the nurse to announce that I would be taking my break now. She allayed me once again as she stood remarkably like Mrs. Curtiss with her arms locked at her breast and feet firmly planted.

"You better not be cheating on Peony, doctor. There is nothing for a broken heart and that man deserves nothing but kindness."

"Fear not, Colette, I am very aware that there is no cure for a broken heart, but I believe I would be more concerned about venereal consequences. I'll be back on schedule in an hour."

* * *

><p>I found Guy sitting on the receptionist's counter, speaking with the same receptionist who had written Peony off as soon to be severely injured six months ago. He balanced his attention between the grey haired nurse behind the desk and the sick or hurting patients that tottered up to the counter. Several women, already red-faced with fever, left the counter looking a little redder and delirious than the normal flu should cause. The receptionist was also affected by Guy's flu-inspiring charm. When he spotted me and trotted to my side with a great smile, the rouge left the receptionist's cheeks and she muttered about all the attractive ones being unattainable.<p>

Once outside the sliding doors we exchanged pleasantries and I inquired about the nature of his lunchtime visit. He promised to tell me more when we sat down to eat, but that I shouldn't be concerned. As he held open a bright red door to a non-chain café, he smiled over his shoulder and said, "It's nothing too important. Just my story."

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>While Jade was sweating buckets (ha, unlikely from the Ice Queen) over poor Tear's body, I was in our condo twiddling my thumbs and throwing back a glass of wine. (If the bastard had told me any of the stories he'd collected I would have been even less caring about dinner and a lot less anxious about serving our guests without my colder half. He was dealing with serious shit and I was trying not to recall anything sexier about wine than the curves of the wineglass).<p>

I had more or less done all that Jade asked of me; the table was set and the food was cooking properly, I thought (nope, not really). I took a seat on the countertop and glanced at the clock. It was going up for almost eight and still no sign of my mysterious boyfriend. For a while I just dicked around, checking on the roast and potatoes, making my wine glass ring, letting the water run over the dirty dishes and calling them clean. I wasn't sure whether to be worried or not about Jade. I guess I was more curious at this point. I mean, Jade had called to say he would be late, but clinics typically dealt with simple cases (Jade's, specifically sexual diseases). It was a little odd that he had to spend plus two hours (allotting for travel in bad weather) on a patient. The hospital was the only place he worked overtime. I didn't have time to think about the possibilities of Jade dealing with patients who had a never before seen type of disease that sprouted a dragon's head where the pleasure centre should be. The buzzer rang its little tune and with a press of the button our guests were let into the building.

I shot back my third glass of wine and straightened my tie. I wished Jade would get here so I didn't have to play good Vice President and housewife all by myself. Even if these were _my_ guests and not his.

* * *

><p>{Guy}<p>

* * *

><p>I guess my story really starts when I was about ten years old. I won't bore you with too many details. Just enough so that you understand where I'm coming from, otherwise you might get a bit confused about who I really am.<p>

At ten years old I was living with my family in a smaller city that touches this one. It was a rich, little city and we were well off too. I come from an old family (Gardios, heard of us?), but most of our old money lies in other branches of my family's tree. Where we got our new money from was my dad's job. He wasn't CEO or head of the company, but he was in charge of a lot of people. At least he was until Lanvaldear merged with Malkuth. Two powerful companies amalgamated to one, which was great for everyone who worked from the chin up in either of the companies. My father worked somewhere just below the collar bone. Almost half the employees were let go and mainly people from Malkuth Inc on account of the old President dying and his son not having much sway or practice yet.

My dad lost his job. A lot of dads lost their jobs. For whatever reason, though, my dad never found another one. My older sister, Mary, and I spent a lot of nights sitting on the spiralling staircase listening to our mom and dad talk, then later on argue, then later on yell, and later on just cry (my mom and my dad). When they got really loud, Mary and I would go up to the attic and she would sing and I would play an instrument. Sitar, guitar, piano, whatever. Anything to drown out voices. I never hated either of them, really. When I think back now, I just feel sorry for them and their situation, but even more so for my sister.

Mary was smart, but her selflessness got in the way. She was in university by the time the fighting started. At first she was cutting classes to comfort me at home when mom and dad were fighting. But once mom left, she stayed home because we couldn't afford a nanny. We couldn't afford much. Mary couldn't afford school.

With two kids and a divorce, my dad needed to find a stable, decent job. Mary and I both started working, her at a daycare and me at a garage. Dad never did find a place to work, so Mary became my primary caregiver the day he committed suicide.

I had just gotten home from school and didn't have to work that day (I kind of wish I did). I heard a crash in the kitchen and ran in to see my sister standing by the table. There was plate in pieces at her bare feet. I called her name and she spoke to me, but didn't turn around. She asked me to get a towel and leave it at the foot of the stairs while she made a quick phone call. Her back was to me but I heard the...shock, I guess, and sadness in her voice. As I tripped upstairs to the linen closet I had tears pouring down my face. I put the towel on the bottom step and clung to the rungs as I waited from Mary. She finished speaking to the person on the phone (the dispatcher), came over to pick up the towel, saw I was in tears even though I had my face against the banister. She brushed my hair and said everything would be okay, then took the towel away. She came back to me in a couple seconds and somehow pried my fingers off the banister's rungs. I held onto her and she to me, her singing this mantra of _it's okay baby brother, it's okay Gaillardia_ until the sirens came. Mary shielded me from the horror my father had created at the dining room table, but I wish she hadn't taken it all on must have been bad; the towel she had thrown over my father's head was bogged.

For about five years, Mary and I worked, but we did have to move. We moved here, to this city, to where we could find a house or an apartment that didn't cost too much, but was near a lot of work. She couldn't work as at the daycare anymore, children cried around her all the time. I actually wasn't doing too bad. By seventeen I was great with mechanics and had recently been taken under a contractor's wing. I promised Mary that I would build us a house way out in the country when we had saved up a little more, and we could just get away. That made her smile and, despite losing both our parents, I was pretty happy with the two of us.

I never went to college, but I had a real knack for all things mechanical and all things construction. I helped build buildings and fix cars on the side. We had enough money to buy a house in the poorer part of the city. It wasn't great, but I really wanted a place where it we just be us, not a landlord and forty flights of attendants. Just our small family. I thought Mary needed it. She had been taking care of me for years now and was really straining then. She was like a canary that was tiring of its song, but that's not quite right. Mary loved me and she proved it by taking care of me, feeding me, staying with me and making a rundown house into a home. She wasn't tired of her song, she was sick and her song just got wearier.

Unlike Tear and Luke, I don't go to hospitals, clinics or any other place remotely linked to medical facilities because I can't stand the memories of my sister in that dreary room. She was so brave, she didn't turn to drugs even if there was plenty of people around our place to buy them from. She didn't leave me alone for hours to spend time dulling her pain at bars or clubs, and she kept me healthy, but she was affected. She took every detail of our father's death on her shoulders and it was slowly killing her. About two years ago I checked her into the psychiatric ward because I couldn't keep her safe. She passed two years ago.

After her funeral, there's not much good to say until I get to Luke and Tear. After she left I became the canary, but more angry in my song than she was sad in hers. I hated the cage my family had been put into. I worked hard because I was furious and I kept going because anger doesn't let you stop. Even though I never stopped, I did lose a lot. I had no friends, mine and my sister's home became a shitty house again, I focused on a hazy goal and had to deny a lot of opportunities in work (and work actually did make me happy, now that I stop to think about it). The hazy goal became concrete and I made plans, really scary ones. Even though I didn't do it and never will now that I've cooled down, it's hard to say just how twisted my goal was. I wanted revenge on the drop that pushed my family out of the cup. I wanted the President of Lanvaldear to pay. But then I got even more confused; after sitting down in my kitchen with weeks' worth of dishes and a light bulb swinging from a wire, I decided I didn't just want the drop, I wanted to topple the whole cup.

It's always easier to destroy something than it is to clean it up. You can make a room messy in a minute, but you can't clean it up in the same amount of time. People can poison other people with things found under the sink, but how many know the antidotes? And I knew how to build the buildings the busy, rich people work, eat and, a lot of times, sleep in.

My plan was simple enough. The Presidents' offices were near the top of the building so if I toppled it at the base of course they would die. I got the blueprints from city hall and found the pillars in the basement that kept the whole place standing. I already knew a couple ways to destroy its legs, but I did my research too. I don't like thinking about those days where I stayed up for nights on end, paranoid that the cops would find out and all my planning would be wasted. I was almost deranged enough to do it.

I snuck into the basement where the parking garage is in a van I borrowed from a buddy at the garage I work at. It was unmarked until I put an electrician company's name on the side (I did know a good deal about electronics too, so if anyone asked I wouldn't be completely see through). I had the van parked in the centre of the eight pillars that held everything up. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, the paranoia, the adrenaline or my conscience, but I started to hyperventilate. As I sat under fifty floors of concrete, bricks, business men and money in the dead of night, I thought about how much it would hurt to have all that topple on me now. I was terrified. If the building didn't collapse right and I was one of those business men trapped inside, I would be terrified. One moment I would be making a call from my office phone or chatting at the water cooler, the next the floor would tilt, people would scream, the lights would be out and I wouldn't know how my world was literally turned upside down.

I sat in the van, clutching the steering wheel while my head was bent between my knees. I started to calm and when I did, I thought a little more rationally. Yes, the people who had taken my family's life without even knowing or caring deserved _something_, deserved to at least know there was a young man howling for their blood. But what about the others? The people who had happily worked for my dad, people new to the company, visiting children, even people in neighbouring buildings and on the street. None of them deserved to die. The final tipping point was the security guard tapping on my window and asking "Hey, kid, you lost?"

(Though this is Guy's story, I feel like I do need to add how grateful I am that he never went through with his plan. Had he, Peony would not be alive today. Also, since this is Guy I am all the more grateful; he could have actually done this. Had Luke declared to topple a building larger than a tent, I would have shrugged the matter off).

So, I went home just as the sun was peeking through the buildings on the horizon. I sat myself down in my disgusting kitchen, flicked the light bulb off and eventually the dawn light crept in. I remember thinking everything just looked grey in the light. I should have slept, and I did for a couple hours. When I woke up with my head stuck to the table with last weeks' dinner, I forced myself to cleanup (not really the kitchen, just myself). I needed to get out and find a...I wasn't even sure what. A purpose or reason, maybe. No way was I going to off myself. My tune had been one of anger and hate, but the fact was I was still singing and would do so to my last breath. The house was suffocating, so I flew out of there.

I didn't have a direction, but maybe someone out there has an alignment in the stars for me. I went to Black's, a little bar lost between the rich and the poor side of the city. It's noted by many for its cleanliness inside, but even more so for the not so clean stuff in the alley. I'll be honest and say that I was lost and wouldn't have minded someone leading me out by the belt buckle. Sex in the alley wasn't really the direction I wanted to go, but it was a step towards feeling and being a normal human again.

I was sitting in my booth, feeling pretty heartsick and I think slowly coming to terms with the fact that I wasn't going to meet anyone tonight. The bar wasn't packed and I was too busy singing my sad song to try a happier, attractive one. Except for one redheaded waiter.

I know staff at any store or bar is supposed to make you feel good or at least present themselves as feeling good, but my server Luke – he was the light that brought my dawn song back. He was cheery and so cute. I didn't know if he swung my way or not, but the way he smiled made me want to try. I admit that I only ordered something alcoholic because I wanted him to know my name. I had my license out before I even decided what I wanted.

The bar wasn't that busy and Luke has always had a good heart, he just doesn't always know how to express himself, so he stood at my booth and we talked.

"So life's rough?" Luke asked. He got comfy against the opposite wall of the booth. He was shy in a peculiar way. He had no problem telling people what he thought, but he was nervous in little ways. He picked at the nub of his pencil and did a sort of triangle of glances when he spoke. For example, when he asked me about myself he looked from me to the floor to the wall then back to me.

"It can be," I said with a shrug. I batted my beer between my hands and watched the bubbles fizz around the neck. I ached in my chest at the remembrance of almost a day ago, sitting in the parking garage. Luke's curious gaze pulled me back to the bar. I couldn't help smiling at him as I said, "I'm hoping to find a way to get better."

"Yeah, I get that. I've been trying to get better too," he said with a nod and a smile. That smile, there was my light. I was blinded. My problems were stretched thin and far behind me when he shone.

"Get better? How could you possibly get any better?"

Luke laughed and crinkled his nose, probably in embarrassment.

"Lorelei, you're weird," and I pulled back when he said it. I thought he was letting me know we didn't play for the same team. But then he took a seat on the edge of the both, looked from the bar to the kitchen door then back to me. He stayed on me as he said, "I fuck up all the time, man. Don't believe me? Look at what you're drinking. I just realized I brought you Stella when you wanted Corona."

I laughed, threw my arm around the back of the booth. I hoped he'd check me out, see if I could pin down whether this guy was into guys. He gave my arm a once over, but then his gaze darted to the wall behind me, then the pencil he drummed on the table. Then back to me.

I took a swig of the Stella, sampled it like wine, swallowed (yeah, maybe a little deliberately) and smiled. Luke watched me with anxious glances, but grinned the moment I did. I wanted to fold him in my arms. I bet he'd be warm with how bright he was.

"It's fine?" he asked with a nod to my bottle.

"Better than fine," we shared a smile, "Thanks, Luke."

* * *

><p>I found out quite a bit about Luke in just the one night we talked. He lived above the bar, his boss' name is Noir, he was nineteen (seventeen if I wasn't a cop), he hadn't seen his family in a while (I didn't press the matter, but I did manage to put my hand on his shoulder and he didn't pull back).<p>

I went back to my house happy and I actually cleaned up the dishes. It wasn't that I planned on bringing Luke there, or even that I would decide to take care of myself because someone wanted me. I'm an admitted romantic and flirt, but I don't believe in living your life because someone approves it. I cleaned up because I felt hopeful that there was more than revenge to live for. I could forget about making the President bleed for now and actually have a normal life. I hadn't thought about guys in a while, not since hormones discovered me in high school. I had needed to work and later ease Mary into a world I wasn't ready to wade in yet.

I was sappy enough to think that the next night Luke, if he was working, would see me across the crowded room, beam then make a beeline for my table. No such luck because I had sat in another server's area. I was happy to watch Luke carry wings and spill beer for a little while, but hope nudged me from my nested area to the bar where I could socialize. I was slightly regretting defecting from my booth when several girls approached me in varying degrees of sobriety. I was polite to every one of them, but I still had to turn them down, which didn't make me feel too good. Their presence also made me worried about my appearance to Luke. Every time a new lady came over I would furtively look over my shoulder at the young waiter. He didn't seem to notice. I told myself it was just that the bar was busy and Luke would take notice if it wasn't.

While I was listening to my foolish heart whistle tunes as I watched Luke taking orders at a table across the room, another, presumably, lady approached me and tapped my shoulder. I actually thought it might be a man this time since the tap was more like a hearty pat. I turned about and my flame was quenched when I realized it was a woman. But a woman that I knew because of my family.

"Mrs. Grants, wow, I wouldn't expect to see you here."

"I doubt you expected to ever see me again, Gaillardia. I haven't seen you in a couple years. And, please, call me Legretta," she said as she settled on the stool next to me. The bartender took her order while she took off her coat.

"It has been a while. I haven't seen you since my father's funeral."

"Yes. I heard about Mary. I'm sorry for your loss, Gaillardia."

"Well, only the good die young, or so they say," I said as I took a deep swig of my beer.

"Your family must have been full of Yulia's angels," she said gently for a woman with a deep voice.

I nodded a little stiffly and focused on a bottle of Jack's behind the bar. I didn't want to tear up in front of anyone at a bar. The guy's you chase after typically don't like seeing you wine to the local barkeep (besides, girls tend to flock me when I cry). I almost snorted beer bubbles out my nose when I spied Legretta pawing the beginnings of tears from her eyes. I was a little surprised since she and her husband, Van, weren't exactly kin and kind to my family. Van was related to the Gardios clan, if only because we shared Hod blood from way back in the day. (That's one thing I don't miss; going to mixers and social events that celebrate and preserve the Hod tradition and blood. The whole premise just seems kind of elitist and all the boys are history buffs on the subject of our great, decimated birthplace. It's hard to kiss or have a good time when the guy you're leaning over keeps muttering how Lorelei would sanctify our union if only because we were of the 300 000 sole descendents of Hod. Yeah, Hodians don't exactly smile upon the gay community of its people since our population is so small, but they're more okay with it if you're dating a Hod. Then no man or woman from outside the clan can have him or her. It's twisted logic, I know. Still, thank Lorelei I don't have to attend another fundraiser for preserving Hod artefacts). Legretta had married into the family, but, like she said, we hadn't seen each other in years.

Just as the bartender set her drink before her and she pulled out her wallet to pay, she said with a depreciative laugh, "Van left me, by the way. Your ancestors must be smiling."

I grabbed her hand that palmed her wallet and pulled out my own bill to give to the bartender. I told him to keep the change while Legretta awkwardly scrunched up her money and quietly sniffled.

I turned to her and said gently, "I'm sorry, Legretta."

(And I really was. Legretta wasn't well liked by the Hodians, but she was accepted because she was feared. Legretta is cold and is incredibly quick with retorts. No one dared oppose her marriage to Van because of how fierce she is. I think Van liked her for that. She was prickly only to her enemies and this suited the Grants family since Van's little sister was very timid. Van was like me, he grew up without parents and that's probably why his lower branch touched mine at all. I know he helped my father out and Mary too).

Legretta said hollowly, "I am too. It's why I'm here, I suppose. I'm taking a leap of faith," she laughed.

I didn't get the joke. "Leap of faith?"

"I talked to the Maestro and he said to 'try something new. Go somewhere you've never gone before. I've heard bars are great places to meet new and exciting people.'"

"Mohs said that?" I asked and I'm pretty sure my eyebrows got lost in my hairline.

"Of course not," she said with a harsh laugh (she knew Mohs' doctrine was as hard and dry as the old man himself), "I spoke to the new fraction's head, Maestro Ion. I don't work for Mohs anymore."

"I think I like this new Maestro."

"Enough to return to church, Gaillardia?" she asked and I saw a hint of her strict church side in her stiffened spine.

I laughed and said half-jokingly, "Depends. Would Ion let me get married?"

Legretta gave me a shrewd half smile and it came off stern and patronizing just like the statues of Yulia smiling down on the believers as they filled into church. There was a pause in our conversation where I superstitiously looked over at Luke. He was taking a break by the kitchen window, talking with the chef. Legretta followed my gaze and made a sort of gagging noise. My spine sunk a little into the stool. I thought I was going to hear her actually reprimand me for my lifestyle. Instead I got the exact opposite; she was very interested.

"That boy by the kitchen. Is that Asch?" she asked.

"The (cute) redhead? No, his name's Luke."

I wasn't sure what to say 'cause I wasn't sure what was running under her blonde ponytail, so I took a sip of beer and turned my attention to her instead. She was rigid like a rabbit with the scent of dog in her nose, or maybe she was the dog.

From between pressed lips she said, "I know that boy, that boy has a brother. They're twins and they look so alike."

"Oh, yeah?" I said a little awkwardly. I wasn't sure what was going on.

"I spoke to his brother outside The Bend –" I snorted a little beer out (Ever been to The Bend, Jade? Peony dragged you? I might have guessed. Legretta anywhere near a gay bar was like Satan chilling on the steps of St. Lorelei) " – but he wouldn't give me the time of day."

"Well, if he was at that club he probably wasn't interested in you," I supplied (even more awkwardly).

Maybe I offended her because Legretta swilled back he drink and promptly put her coat on. As she snapped her leather gloves on she asked me in her clipped tone, "When does that boy work next?"

"Luke? I don't know, maybe tomorrow? I can ask if you want..." I really didn't want to because I wanted Luke (even though I still wasn't sure where his loyalties lay) and because I didn't think the cougar lifestyle was for Legretta. She was like ice; cold and pure. Just wasn't her bag.

She just nodded and left. Luke was still busy and I was feeling a little strange after Legretta's conversation, so I finished my beer and left. I promised I would return to Black's the next night no matter what happened tonight. I was pretty smitten with Luke, but I wasn't sure about him, so I decided to take a trip around The Bend.

* * *

><p>It wasn't as packed as it could have been, Thursday night's are nothing compared to the weekend. I also wasn't grabbing too much attention since I was dressed for the weather and everyone else was dressed for summer on a balmy tropical island. The dance floor was still packed, but the second level was pretty quiet (No, Jade! I wasn't looking to do that up there. I was just trying to get an aerial view and no matter who I'm with I'm always safe. If it makes you satisfied then I'll add that I turned down two really hot guys to peek over the railing). Up high it wasn't hard to look through the lights and down on the waves below. It was also pretty easy to spot Asch. For one, both Luke and Asch have impossibly red hair, so it was literally like looking for a candle in a cave. And two, Asch was wild and pretty popular.<p>

I watched him dance and throw himself around, then, with my eyes fixed on his thrashing form, I walked back downstairs and nudged my way through the crowd. It felt like trying to push through closely grown trees and, believe me, the branches did grab at me and my clothes. I almost lost my shirt a couple times, but eventually I made it to Asch's outer ring. He was dancing, I guess, more like grabbing hold of guys all too eager to be kissed by him. And depending on his whim, Asch either pushed them around or crushed them against himself. My stomach hardened, but that was all; I'm not into guys like Asch. Asch and Luke...they're twins and they're symmetrical beings, but their drives are totally different.

It must have been rock night or Asch was just very close with the DJ 'cause the songs that were playing seemed right up his alley. From the dark, studded clothes he wore to the way he trashed against the boys just fit with the scene. I pushed myself into the ring just as the song switched to Three Days Grace's _Pain_.

Asch was just finishing pushing a thin, nerdy looking guy with white-ish hair way out of the ring (poor bastard) when he realized another victim was in his space. He turned and again my stomach tightened. The look in the guy's eyes...it scared me, but more so just ticked me off. He was Plato's perfect form of arrogance. I met him halfway in the throbbing ring.

He fisted my shirt collar and I grabbed a hold of his black wife beater. He gave me a little shake and I just held my stance. He glowered a bit and I just stared up with my bright, blue eyes. He _hump_ed and covered my lips with his. I didn't respond in anyway. (To tell you the truth I wasn't sure what I was trying to accomplish. I'd gotten Asch's seal of approval, I got my redhead who wanted me and who I knew was gay, but it wasn't enough. Not what I wanted, I guess).

I think something about my rigidity got Asch going. His hands gripped at my back or my hair and when that didn't work, he grabbed my jeans and dug himself deep into my front. I expected Asch to smell like alcohol. I thought with the way he was dancing he was flying high, but I don't think that was the case. He was in control. He smelt like sweat and, maybe my brain was making it up, he smelt like ashes. He kept pushing into me, but it wasn't getting either of us anywhere.

He thrust into me a couple more times and then I just let go of his shirt with a motion that suggested _I'm done_, and just wandered out of the circle. I don't know what Asch did when I left, but at the doors, when I was popping my collar up in preparation for the cold, I looked back in and saw him pushing and pulling guys in, so I guess it was business as usual.

(Now that I'm telling this to you...I think I kind of understand why I felt weird there, with Asch. He was angry like I had been not even a week ago. The guy wanted someone to pay, but he was taking it out on innocent and willing guys. Whoever hurt him had fucked him up bad).

I stood outside, trying to sort out what I was feeling and what I wanted to do. There were a couple guys smoking by the doors and the wind carried a lot of it way, but it would changed currents and blast me with it. I thought about going back to Black's, thought if I did I'd get Luke's attention, maybe make a move. Instead I waved the smoke away and went home.

* * *

><p>The next night...I felt so bad about it. I wish I had done something to help either or both of them, but there's no changing the past.<p>

I went back to Black's the night after The Bend and caught Luke before I picked a table to make sure I'd be in his seating area. He pointed me the right way and seemed happy enough to see me (I took that as a good sign). It was Friday night so the place was doing good business. Luke and I only got chances to talk when he was serving me and a couple times when he bent the rules to check if my drink was good four or five times.

I guess I get obsessed with things easily: cars, handyman stuff, revenge, Luke, guys, Luke. I was hooked on finding out a little more about where Luke had come from. So I told him a little about my family (nothing dark) to get him to talk about his. Specifically I told him about my older sister who I had always been and always will be close to.

"It must be nice to have a sister like that," Luke said while he pretended to scrawl an order I never gave on his pad. He looked from the pad to the kitchen to the pad and muttered, "I have a twin brother, but I don't think on him and he doesn't think on me."

"A twin huh?"

"Yup, but I haven't seen him in a couple years. I don't even know where he is."

"I'm sorry, man."

"I'm not," Luke said with a sneer on his face. I was a little shocked at how angry he looked. Whatever he had written on his notepad he sliced it with a lead-breaking X. He muttered to the pad, "We're not alike at all. Sorry, orders up. I gotta get it."

When Luke was in the kitchen's vicinity, I groaned into my hands (I was really hung up on him). I don't even know what I was trying to do. Maybe after meeting both brothers I had found out that I hadn't been sidetracked from my revenge for just a redhead with a hot body. Maybe the twins were symbolic of my past and future and if I choose one of them then their attributes would represent how I wanted to live my life. I don't know. I was just starting to remember the guy I had been before I lost my family.

My pity party was crashed when I spotted Legretta at a table in the corner. There was something very clandestine about her sitting there. She had the hood of her coat up and when I looked over to her she turned her eyes down to her gloves. The way she fidgeted and determinedly sat up straighter made her look like she was steeling herself. In case Luke returned and thought I had gone I left enough money to cover my bill twice and hoped he'd keep the change as an I-am-such-an-ass tip.

Legretta didn't look at me when I sat and she glanced down when I shifted into her view. I swore the temperature dropped from my central table to her shadowy corner.

"More advice from Maestro Ion?" I asked her.

"Hello, Gaillardia," she greeted, but still refused to look at me.

"What's up Legretta? You look...out of sorts."

"Not at all."

"I see," I lied and made it obvious that I had.

Finally she looked at me and my blood froze. I was very thankful that we weren't actually related. Had she been my aunt or anything closer I would have avoided all the Hod events. People tend to care more about what you do with yourself the closer related you are.

In her deep voice she told me off. She told me that I was still just a child, that I would never understand what there was between a husband and wife and how badly it hurt to be left without any warning, just a note left on the kitchen table and a child to care for that wasn't even her own, but a memento of her lover.

I didn't know what to say. For a heartbeat I just sat in shock and silent anger. I may not ever understand what there is between men and women and, if Mohs had his way, I might never understand what it feels like to be married, but I know about heartache and abandonment. (Thinking back, I think I did exactly what she wanted) I stood up and walked out the door. For awhile I forgot about Luke and Asch and any other guy that might have wanted something to do with me. I walked all the way home, thinking about my pain and my dead family, my mother who got out while she could. I didn't have any inclination to going looking for her; she decided to leave so good for her. And Legretta. I know she felt like an outsider since she wasn't Hod or any other noble bloodline child, but she was wrong to say those things to me. What was more unforgiving in the Hod ancestor's eyes? A woman who was left by a supposedly noble blooded man or a dead branch on the Hod family tree with no one but a gay son to keep it in bloom? Not to mention I am blue collar. I got it, but she and I'm sure a lot of the world just didn't understand that I understood. Apparently my short pity party in the bar was just a pre-party.

I knew I was being over dramatic when I stood in my house's front hall rubbing my eyes. I turned right around and walked all the way back to the bar, determined to make my move on Luke. I would prove Legretta wrong; I'd make a life with Luke or someone who could love me and keep him longer than Legretta kept Van. I would have a family and prove a lot of people wrong.

* * *

><p>Luke probably told you about what Legretta did in the back alley. Man, I really don't know how to feel about that. Once Luke had calmed down I asked him if he wanted me to call the cops and have her arrested, but he said no. He just didn't want to think about what had happened. Didn't want to talk about it either, which was okay with me. I didn't press him. I let him cry on my shoulder and when he was calm we joked around, talked a little bit more about our families.<p>

The next month and a bit, I kept visiting him and started taking him out for lunch or walks through the park. I didn't call them dates; I still wasn't sure about him, but my heart was too hung up on him to back off if there was a chance at all.

From what I learned in the first couple months, Luke was pretty wounded himself. Parents that didn't care, doctors that didn't care, street life and no understanding of normal society. No wonder he was a little awkward. But I knew he was kind too, he just needed a little more light to show off his shine.

I took things slow, besides, I like being friends first before lovers. And if he turned out to be straight then I would have one more good friend. Yeah, I would feel a little sad that we couldn't be together in that sense, but I would rather have some of his affection rather than none. I waited for a signal to take a step beyond the borders of friendship.

"...only one girl, Estelle, but we were each other's cover. The other five years of my love life have all been guys," I said as I leaned up against the dumpster and watched Luke sweep the alley way.

I saw his cheeks turn a little red as he muttered, "I've never really been with anyone."

I probably should have done something more than stare (I was kind of distracted by how boyishly cute he was kicking cans around the dumpster and getting affronted about lack of girl/guy experience).

"What? Think I can't get a date?" Luke chirped indignantly.

"Nah, I just can't believe no one's asked you," I said and walked over to him. My heart was flapping its wings against its cage. I had to keep my hands in my pockets so that I didn't do something like wrap an arm around him. That probably would have been too strong. I looked him over like I had never looked him over before. Luke stood a little straighter like he was being defiant...or like he _wanted_ me to see all he had to show. I looked away and shrugged like what he had shown didn't make me feel like a caged animal. Honesty rolled out of my mouth, "You're adorable, Luke. I'd do a lot just to share one kiss with you."

I waited on tenterhooks for a response.

"Oh, really? That's...nice," he said and set his broom and dustpan up against the dumpster.

I stepped forward like the light above the door had suddenly turned green, but I paused to check myself (and to check him).

"If you swing my way, then yeah, it is nice," I said.

Luke's mouth went into a little o shape and for a moment I stood on the line of do and don't. His mouth hung open and I searched his face and body for signs. I don't know if it was a sign but when I looked him in the eye he did the triangle thing. Me, the dustpan, me. The door, me, my shoes, me, my body, me...I went for it.

I kissed him like Mr. Darcy did Elizabeth in the movie my sister loved so much. I pulled him close and didn't rove, French or push. I just wanted to get my message across and to see if there was one for me. I think there might have been. He kissed me back and as a thank you for being someone that could love me, I kissed his nose and put my cheek up against his.

I was happy, but I could feel Luke shaking in my arms. I had to remember he was new to relationships of all kinds. I fished through the happy singing in my head for something to break the ice on this new lake.

"Uh, so it's kind of ironic how we're making a moment where most people just come for a moment."

Luke laughed, maybe a little too hard at my joke. Then, my cheeks flared when he said, "Yeah...I'm a virgin."

* * *

><p>We weren't an item, but we looked nice together. I showed Luke around town, sometimes holding his hand, sometimes dancing at his back in a crowded room, sometimes buying him coffee before either one of us went off to work. I knew he wasn't my boyfriend yet. Luke said he needed time to "figure things out" and I took that as "I want to be with you, but I need to learn a little bit more about relationships before I jump on board". I tried to help him along by being a really good pretend boyfriend.<p>

Eventually things started to escalate. I would linger longer in his loft or he would push me to a wall as we kissed on the dance floor. We both really wanted to see my bedroom when I started bringing him home to my place. Eventually it happened. We made love.

I wasn't sure how it would work out with him being inexperienced with most sorts of affection (it took a good two weeks for him to get used to holding hands), but as far as I could tell he was happy it had happened. Maybe I was just blinded by my own light after the fact.

I took him up to my room to show him a picture of a car I was fixing up with a buddy at work and he looked it over then kissed me when I said I was helping my friend for free. He kept kissing me so I gently put the picture on my desk and led him to the bed. I laid myself down 'cause he doesn't like to feel confined, and there was no need to coax him onto my chest. Eventually we both lost our shirts and our belts because they were digging in or really cold on exposed stomachs.

Luke watched me remove my belt and I wasn't going to touch my zipper no matter how much it ached down there. I could keep control of myself; I wasn't about to scare him off. I reached up to kiss him, but he wasn't as responsive.

I backed off and he looked from me to my zipper as he asked, "Well, isn't there more to this than just kissing? Or do you not want to..."

We both jumped. Me because Luke had thumbed my zipper and a little more than just fabric, and Luke because I had flinched.

I paused to think of how to say 'yes' without sounding like an ass. Honesty seemed like the best tactic 'cause I don't think I could fool Luke into believing that I jumped because his fingers were cold.

"Well, yeah, I do want to make love to you. You're gorgeous and, more importantly, you're more than just a warm body to me," I put a hand to his face and he looked me in the eye. I think he looked happy then. I thumbed his lip as I said just as sincerely, "But we're not going to do it if you're uncomfortable. It takes two to tango and I'm not going to force anyone onto the dance floor if they don't want to dance. So, Luke, I need to know how you're feeling."

Luke had been nodding the entire time I spoke and was now staring me in the eye. When he realized what I had asked, he looked to the wall, but somewhat determinedly looked back to me. Together be both watched him pull my zipper down.

* * *

><p>He was a little uncomfortable about being under me and since I didn't want to be anything more than gentle, I laid us on or sides with his back to me. Through it all I was kissing his neck and one of my hands was always gripping his. I didn't rush, in fact I probably should have turned the light on because the sun was going down by the time we were losing ourselves in one another. I watched him, talked to him, told him what was going on when he asked questions or was nervous. It was best just to be honest and plain with him.<p>

When he started shaking and the hand I was holding moved to relieve its owner, I helped him along while pressing into him deeply but smoothly. The street lights don't always work along my street, but the quickly rising moon peeked into my window and made the sheen on our skin glow just like it. When we stole the moon's light was when Luke suddenly went taut. My heart picked up and flapped against my ribs. We didn't speak anymore and simply rode the wave out.

I found both his hand and wrapped our arms around him. We lay and became quieter. Eventually Luke twisted around and looked me in the eye, blushing a little bit but his gaze didn't flicker from my face.

"You feeling okay?" I asked him.

"I dunno," he said. My heart twittered nervously. I reminded myself this was an experience. Maybe a stepping stone and maybe a boulder in a path Luke couldn't walk. Luke closed his eyes and huffed, "I feel tired and a little weird, but...I'd do it again, with you. I'd do it again soon."

"Yeah?" I said and relaxed into the mattress.

"Yeah. You're a really nice guy. I like that."

* * *

><p>We slept for a couple hours and I woke up to find Luke dressed from the waist down looking at my music corner. He leafed through a couple sheets of music and pulled on the strings of my guitar. I got up and pulled on my pants, yawned and ran a hand through my hair. My watch said it was almost midnight.<p>

In the light of nothing but the moon, I put a hand on Luke's shoulder and, to my surprise, he leaned into me. I grabbed my guitar, asked him if he had any requests, but he didn't know many songs. He asked me to play one of my favourites. I led us to my bed and picked a couple notes before settling on a song. I'm glad Luke didn't (and still doesn't, really) know much about modern music. The ones I play the best are oldies.

I played him Blackbird and in a sad sort of whisper he said he didn't understand what the song was about. I kissed his cheek and said that some songs you aren't supposed to be able to follow word by word. Some songs you just listen to the lyrics and your emotions will naturally pick up the message. He smiled, still sadly, and I kissed him again. I whispered that I thought he understood.

* * *

><p>Things went smoothly with Luke and the addition of Tear was only natural. I found out about Tear when I visited Luke one night after Black's had closed. They were up in his room and they invited me in. I'll admit I was a little shocked that Luke had a girl with him, but I can't blame Luke for wondering about the other gender. He was locked up in a research facility for years; he still needed to learn some things about himself, the world, us, them.<p>

I fell just as hard for Tear as I did for Luke, if only in a different way (No, Jade, I'm not lying. I love Tear, just not how I love Luke). She's incredibly kind, too kind sometimes. She, like Luke and myself, had been hurt and used. She found herself without any kin to claim and was at the mercy of the city's streets. She had been spending the nights at Luke's place to keep warm and safe, but the apartment was really too small for two, so offered to let them move in with me. They accepted and since then, I've been working at the garage only (two demanding jobs were too much and I really only did two because I needed a distraction from my darker thoughts). Luke got Tear a job through Noir and all three of us are trying to find our way. Our placement right now isn't permanent, but we're happy to live this way for a couple years.

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>I sat across from the young man, who really didn't seem all that young now. I sipped my coffee and debated whether to hold my tongue or voice my scepticisms.<p>

Guy finished off his sandwich, wiped his mouth, took a glimpse at my face and said with a weary sigh, "What part did I not fool you on?"

"I don't believe you we're trying to pull the wool over my eyes up until the end. I have seen little pockets of your genius around your abode and I don't doubt that you could have accomplished your revenge if you desired to."

Guy nodded solemnly, but looked away when I said point blank, "But I do not believe you weren't disheartened when you discovered Luke and Tear's relationship."

"Well, I'm fine with it now," Guy shrugged, "and I really do love Tear too. She's like my sister was to me. I don't want her to be unhappy."

"I believe you don't want any one of you three to be unhappy, but something about the miserable gleam in your eye suggests you would rather Luke had no affection for women."

Guy laughed and said with a cunning look, "Well, I thought you were a humble doctor just trying to figure out our stories to put your boyfriend's mind to rest. Statements like you've been saying make you sound almost like you care about us beyond a medical point of view, Jade."

"Oh dear, you are quite correct. And we wouldn't want that, would we?" I said.

We paid for our food and I went back to work.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.:<strong> Jade's so curt. His sarcasm's fun to write and he's really verbose, but he's not as poetic as Peony. Still, favourite Tales character to date!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary**

Jade tells Tear's story while proving that he does have a heart.

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting him/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** This story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

**4) WARNING:** darker chapter and certainly more intense than previous ones. No breaks in the drama from the peanut gallery.

**5)** Also, there may not be an update tomorrow...gotta get my life sorted out ha ha... :D

* * *

><p><strong>Part 4: Tear<strong>

It had been about three hours since I had called Peony and my nerves were worn a little thin. Tear was neither completely lucid nor completely oblivious to her pain and situation. With limited supplies I had managed to stop her bleeding and right what had wronged her by cutting off the wounded piece...in no way was she whole as I had promised her she would be.

The mild painkillers I had given her wore off in another half hour and she was clearheaded, albeit tender.

In some way I felt I had failed her as a doctor, as a responsible adult, and as someone who cared for her in more than a professional sense. I turned my back to continue disinfecting my instruments and, if I were to be an honest man, to hide my disappointment with myself. I heard the paper she laid on crinkle and I reminded her not to move too quickly.

"Yes, Jade. May I sit up?" she asked in a murmur.

"Of course, but allow me to assist you," I said, flicked water from my hands and helped lift the table and her into an upright position. I keep my features neutral because the last thing Tear needed was a reason to fret. She would be fine, but she would bear a couple scars for life. On a logical level, I knew my genius had proven itself that night; a partial oophorectomy in a clinic that deals with sexual infections is unheard of and unethical, yet it seemed to not act would have been crueller.

Tear had come in wrapped in nothing but Guy's jean coat and was now under nothing but a thin gown. I gave Tear my coat to put on to stave off the chill and left the room to ask one of the bohemians to find clothes for her. Tear halted me at the door and asked me if I would be long. I reassured her I would only be gone a moment then found the other three sitting in the semidarkness of the lounge. I was immediately bombarded with quarries from Luke and Natalia. My nerves were already more worn than the holes in Luke's jeans and the "You _shall_ tell us" prompts were eating greater holes. Guy must have noticed or perhaps had the greatest understanding of reality compared to a teenager who spent his life oblivious of his boyfriend's emotional pain and a young lady who thought her problems were best solved by running from her rather bulky inheritance and joining in promiscuous relations with the urbanite gypsies.

I asked Guy if he could possibly find proper attire for Tear and if Natalia's driver would be able to drive Tear to the nearest hospital (which was followed by a series of 'no's and head shaking) or back to Guy's house to recover. She solemnly nodded as did Guy and I retreated back to Tear's room.

She was sitting up much the way I had left her and her hand beneath the cover of the gown was gently rubbing around her stomach area.

"Be careful not to touch the newly stitched area," I reminded her lightly as I stood with my hands in my pockets.

"I really should tell you how I came to be this way," she said with a little crag in her voice.

"Tear, I have something to confess to you," I said in my doctorly way, but she shook her head and smiled at me.

"You couldn't fix me, could you?" she asked. Her hand stilled and her eyes began to water around the rims. She tilted her head and smiled sadly down at the hand on her stomach.

"No, I could not fully repair – Tear, conception is still possible," I said while closing the door. When I looked back to her she was statuesque except for a tear that slipped out. I fetched a tissue from my desk and dabbed the tear and erased its track then handed her the tissue. She blindly swabbed her nose, but had all eyes for me. I took her hand and told her in (as Peony named it) my melted voice, "You are not broken and you never were. The person who put you through this was clearly the fractured person. Even if I could not have salvaged any of your wounded parts you could still be a perfectly complete mother. That trait can never be taken away from you and it is often something many have to work to earn. Myself, for example, I would never be able to raise a child that was anything more human than a robotic parrot. You are and have always been fine, Tear."

She blushed and took her hand from mine to mop up her face. She gave a watery chuckle as she said, "I suppose that's true if it's coming from you and not Luke or Guy."

"Yes, your boys tend to be blindly optimistic and Luke the foolish idealist."

As expected from a kind hearted woman with a great deal of personal barriers, her tears were dried up and nothing but a slight smile gave away her deep joy.

"Jade, I really should tell you about myself now."

I told her that such things could wait, but she shook her head and said, "I made a promise and you kept yours that you never needed to make. I owe you quite a bit."

* * *

><p>|Tear|<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Tear<strong>

I've been with the church of St. Lorelei my entire life. My entire immediate and a good deal of farther relations were involved in the church. I only know this because of my older brother, Van. Our parents died young from cancer. The people of St. Lorelei were helpful to my brother who was barely old enough to assume responsibility of me, and I so young that I didn't understand what was to be the final outcome. The church eased my parents' pain and worries about their children and finances.

When my parents passed, my brother and I were taken in by a small convent an hour north of here. The boys and girls were usually separated, but I wouldn't have seen much of my brother anyway because he was several years older, and after only two years Van was transferred to the college in this city to become a minister.

Five years later I was also transferred here, no longer in care of the nuns, to attend a boarding school, Jue's Path, under the teachings of St. Lorelei. My brother had enough money for me to attend and he was spending a great deal as it was to drive up to the convent every weekend to visit me. The school is on the edge of the city where there is still some green space and there were few attendants then and likely fewer now. It is an all girls school and I bet there was less than 100 students all together. In my grade there were only twenty girls. My brother got a good rate for me because he would be teaching at the school starting in the spring.

I remember sitting down for dinner in the teacher's quarters near the end of summer with my brother, his girlfriend, Legretta, and the head of the school, Maestro Mohs. My brother treated me by giving me his dessert.

The adults, specifically my brother and Mohs, talked about charity work they were doing at a local research facility (I now know that they were teaching Luke and his brother Asch). Legretta spoke at all the right times, making herself seem like a lady one ought to aspire to be. Legretta reminded me in a stage whisper to eat slowly, even if I had a great deal of ice cream to devour. I didn't care what my distant relatives thought about her; she belonged in our family because she loved me and my brother.

Eventually and unfortunately the talk turned to me. Legretta ran her fingers through my hair to calm me while my brother was my voice. He said I had always been well behaved and the nuns had practically forced me into the choir, I had such a beautiful voice for someone my age. Mohs nodded and complimented me on being so beautiful which I blushed over and leaned against Legretta. Van laughed and said that of course, we were both grateful to how accepting and generous Mohs was of me and himself. My brother looked fawningly down on me as he took Legretta's hand from my hair to hold behind my back, and said I would be very appreciative.

My first year I spent trying my hardest to show my gratitude. I adhered to my teachers, joined a few social groups and opened my heart when singing in the choir. My brother was very proud and willed me to keep doing the best I could to make the most of what I had been given. I had many motives for trying hard. I wanted to be an object of pride to my brother, I wanted to be just like his soon-to-be wife, confident, intelligent, beautiful and independent. I wanted the other jealous girls who bullied me for being one of the teacher's siblings to see that I was excellent because of my effort and not my brother's favouritism. And I wanted to show Mohs, the man who had made it possible for me to be reunited with my brother, that I was truly grateful.

I believe I earned some of Mohs' attention at my brother's wedding. I was both the maid of honour and soloist of the choir at the celebration. After the service and after many pictures were taken in the gardens on the school's grounds, Mohs came up to congratulate my brother and his wife, and to make a personal congratulations to me for my excellently trained voice. He would have a word later with me about other opportunities to broaden my voice.

Soon after the wedding, school resumed for another two weeks before everyone would leave the grounds for summer holidays. Well, everyone except me. I would continue to live on the grounds under the head master's care while my brother was busy attending to his charity work. I suppose my patience had run out or I had been feeling rather lonely with my brother away teaching or with Legretta starting a new life because I got in a fight with a group of girls during the final week of school.

They were waiting for me in my dorm room. I had gone to Yulia's chapel to pray that my brother and Legretta would be happy after the exam since I had finished early. A couple other girls must have noticed my early exit from the stuffy classroom for they berated me for being so loved by the teachers that I need not actually write my exam to pass. We were all old enough to understand slander in the crudest of forms and when one girl suggested that my brother loved me in the sickest way, I hit her. Immediately the other girls leapt on me, pulling my hair, scratching my face and pulling down my uniform to further embarrass me. The sister in charge of our floor heard us and ordered us all to see the head master. My antagonists were ushered into Mohs' office first to tell their side while I tried to hide my tears outside his door.

Eventually they were sent out, in tears because two of them were expelled due to earlier record mars and the other three were to be sent home today instead of in three days' time. Worried about failure for my future and my goals, I shakily entered the headmaster's office.

He was sitting at his desk and told me in a clipped tone to take my seat. I believe he was filling out the girls' paperwork and didn't look up until he had placed the papers in their respective files, two of which would likely never be needed again. When he saw me, no longer crying but staring emotionlessly at him with sallow skin, he smiled warmly.

He told me to retell my version of the story and my future and punishment depended on my honesty. I told him I was the first one to make physical contact and that I had continued to fight when the girls engaged with me. He didn't nod or shake his head, but asked how they had provoked me. I told him, blushingly, about what was said that made me so upset. Finally, Mohs nodded and rose from his seat. He didn't say a word as he crossed the room to look out his window then drew the blind and turned around to speak to me.

He told me that I was wrong to hit and that the right thing to do would have been to find a teacher, especially himself, to resolve such issues. I agreed with him and said that I had known those were the right choices, but I was too quick to take things on by myself. And that I was very sorry for causing him trouble.

Mohs nodded and moved to the edge of his desk, just before me, and accepted my apology. He put a hand on my shoulder as he said that the girl who had said the alleged and nasty things about me and my brother was wicked for such thoughts. But like my hitting her, the wickedness was in the action and not the person. It was my tormentor saying wicked things, not her personally that was wicked, just like it was her insinuated incest that was wicked not the sex. I remember blushing very red, but nodding my head at what he said. The hand he had on my shoulder slid a little lower as he swung around behind me, gazing my chest as he came to stand at my back. I thought it was an accident.

He told me in a sombre tone that my brother would likely have to be notified, but when my shoulders beneath his hands sagged, he said that perhaps there was a way to restore my honour and his trust in me without notifying him. I listened to what he said; he said that I could regain his trust if I continued to please him and I could do so over the summer and perhaps throughout the school year depending on how I behaved. He asked if I thought this was fair and I agreed it was.

He asked me to stand and he took his hands off my shoulder so that I could turn to face him. I was a little bit shorter than him then and I remember because he asked me to prove my loyalty to him by giving him a kiss. I had to stretch up on my toes to reach his mouth. His arms leapt around me and the back of my blouse was ruffled as he clutched at my back, like he was looking for something in the folds of my shoulder blades. After a couple minutes he released me and he said that he could probably trust me in the coming months. He said I was free to go and that my brother would not be contacted over this incident. It wasn't until I was crossing the lawn between the administrative building and the dormitories that I realized my bra had been undone.

* * *

><p>Mohs didn't contact me for the rest of the school year; I believe he was busy with my brother at the research centre. I watched all the other girls leave from my dormitory window across the shaded lawn. Most of the staff left too. I would be having meals with the remaining staff for the next two months. Mohs wasn't present for meals the first couple of days and when it was clear he had returned he didn't show up for dinner, but requested that I find him that evening to speak about my plans for the next months.<p>

After dinner I made my way across the darkening grounds to the administrative building, but the doors were locked. Confused, I took tentative steps towards the teacher's living quarters. No other staff were living there then; really the only people who came on the grounds in the summer were the librarian who kept the library open for summer hours and the choir instructor who visited only because he too loved my voice. The door to the living quarters was unlocked and I could see light spilling out from an open door at the very end of the hall. I made my way to it.

Mohs was there at a smaller desk of his, reading a book on Yulia's teachings. Seeing the book calmed me; my parents and my brother firmly believed in Yulia and I felt at peace around her image; I saw my mother's face in her. Mohs, much like the time in the office, asked me to take a seat. There were a couple cushioned chairs so I chose the one closer to the door and Mohs made no objection. For a while he read to himself and I became more acclimated to his room. It was rather luxuriant for a man of the church, but my brother had told me Mohs was a great man, so he likely had a lot of sponsors.

He first spoke to read to me a passage from Yulia's teachings. She had such a simple, yet touching way of explaining things. This passage I had heard before, it was about love for life and all things that helped you live._ From the apples you eat to the wood and stone you build your homes with, to the people who breathe the wind for you to soar on, be thankful and love more than what you receive_. I was smiling by the end of the recitation and I hadn't thought about my anxiety of being in his presence until he swept past me and closed his chamber door. He was behind me again and his hands were on my shoulders, pushing my spine further into the chair. He asked me if I was eating well and I said yes. He asked me if I was thankful to being living on these beautiful grounds and I said yes. He asked me whether I loved my brother and his wife and I replied emphatically yes. He asked me if I was grateful to him for not expelling me, for allowing me to enhance my voice and for giving me a place to call home in the summer. And I whispered yes. All the while he had been messaging my shoulders and my answers came quicker even though I tensed with each stroke.

He released me and sat in the chair next to mine. He leaned forward so that our knees touched. He asked me if I wanted, if it was my goal to please and love my brother. Nervously I said it was and I meant to do that by being here. He told me I was smart and beautiful and all the other qualities I admired in Legretta. He asked if I believed there was a way to show more love for my brother to which I wasn't sure how to reply. He said that I could continue to show my love for my family by doing well in school, but that I could show just how passionate I was about life and love by showering some of my passion on him. I said I didn't understand. He explained it with a story. The story was one I had heard before too since it was popular even among the branches of the Hod survivors farthest from the trunk. It was about lovers separated by war. The man and the woman were both generals in the war and divided by loyalties, but they truly did love each other. To prove their love the man gave his dagger to the woman. The woman, having no other physical artefact of her lover, kissed the dagger each night they were apart in place of the kisses that would share had he been present. Sadly, the man was wounded in battle and died from his wounds. The woman, distraught that her lover was dead, raised the dagger to her breast to cut out her heart, but the dagger refused to penetrate. It is said that she felt nothing but a gentle kiss from warm lips as the tip touched her heart. From that day on, daggers became a popular symbol for Hodians since the woman was Hod and kept the dagger in a beautiful, ornate urn.

I'm not an emotional person, but I found myself close to tears at the end of Mohs' telling. His was not the most eloquent recitation I had heard, but my nerves were unsteady that night. He took me in my arms and told me not to cry, that everything would be alright, and began to kiss me. I kept my arms crossed over my chest as he pulled me onto his lap. Tears welled out my eyes and fell unhindered onto my blouse. As he carried me to his bed he whispered between kisses that he could be my dagger. I could never love my brother like I could love him, but loving Mohs would show how passionate I was about my brother's happiness. I couldn't reply to anything he said with his lips all over mine. The only word I managed to get out between kisses and sobs was when he had undone his pants and pulled down my skirt.

I whimpered, "_No!_"

* * *

><p>My brother was away all summer, most of my second year, and well into the second summer, busy teaching Asch, I believe. Mohs wasn't quite as attentive to Luke, not when he had me to instruct in comfier quarters. Mohs continued to have his way with me well into September. I would be called to his office for "reports on abuse" as he called it. The other teachers were well aware that I was being abused by my peers and thought that Mohs was counselling me. I didn't dare say a word.<p>

All the while Mohs had me, my brother became more and more estranged. When I did see him he said he couldn't talk about what was bothering him because it related to matters at the research facility and was confidential. A couple weeks after my inquiry about his life, he left and I haven't seen him since. He left Legretta and he left me with nothing but a letter on his and Legretta's table.

I remember standing in Mohs' office with my brother's wife standing stoically in black in the corner of the room while I held that letter. There was very little to it. He barely explained why he left us. In his letter he said he needed to take care of a young man, to set him free and that the church, facility, and sponsors disagreed with him on this. Mohs told me later that night that Legretta was in shock and had to decline becoming my guardian, but that as my priest, Mohs would assume guardianship until she was fit. I didn't cry or tense that night, I was too shocked.

* * *

><p>Worse things were to come from the night I found out about my brother, Legretta's resolve, and my own resolve. Four weeks later I found an abnormality in my body. I was pregnant.<p>

I told Mohs and I was saved from having to kiss the dagger that night. He was furious and very scared. I thought proof in the form of another person, a child, would force him to stop and to let me go. I didn't care if I had to raise the child on my own with no help from its father. As he sat pale and sweaty in his cushioned chair, I stood determinedly in the light before him. I said that I would never tell who the father was, not even my own brother if I ever saw him again, and I was prepared to leave. He could say I ran away because the girl's were too cruel to me. All I asked for was a small amount of money and a drive to the convent I came from. The nuns would take me in for sure. I would use the money to stay at a hotel for a couple days before going to the convent, just so he could spread the news among the fractions that Van's little sister had runaway.

Mohs didn't respond immediately. Then he stopped shaking and got to his feet. He forced me to sit down while he stood to lecture me. He said that he would take care of the problem and that he would pay a friend to perform the abortion...

For someone who lived and loved under Yulia's embrace, I know very well what hell is. Hell is a man with a PhD in science who never once performed anything on a live human being. Hell is being drugged from reality with your rapist standing watch at the door while the man with the PhD in physics cuts into you. Hell is waking up in an abandoned stone building that was once a simple, small monastery with blood stained clothes all around you that you can't quite explain. Hell is realizing that your baby has been taken from you and that you may never have the chance to have another one. For a good hour I screamed my heart out.

I left Mohs once the pain had subsided enough to walk and after what I could see of the incision was healed. I had enough money to pay a taxi to take me to the heart of the city or to the edge, but not enough to get to the convent. I didn't plan on going to the convent or any other place I had been before anyway. It would be all too simple for Mohs to find me. And I was so sore in the heart that I didn't want my brother or Legretta to find me. They had forsaken me and I wished to forget them.

Being dropped off by the taxi in a derelict part of the city was rather terrifying, but I had run out of money. My driver was mindful of the weather and offered another form of payment if I wanted to be taken a bit further. I declined, but I suppose the thought stayed with me, or maybe my unfulfilled basics summoned the memory of the cab driver and of Mohs.

In short, space in shelters was limited in late fall. I had no money, no references that I could give on a résumé, no family to take me in and a great deal of pain, sometimes physical but frequently mental. I became cold. I didn't lose my pride, just my sense of shame. I needed money and singing on street corners didn't pay near enough to feed me three meals a day. Plus the cold often had me sick and since the first winter I've become more susceptible to throat infections.

In some ways, Luke was a great deal smarter than me. He slept in libraries by day and walked during the night. I spent a couple hours each night in my school uniform soliciting myself. I think I was something of a joke or a pet to the other women of the night. In their too loud voices and emphatic manner of speaking with their bodies, they told me I was far too kind and too awkward to sell myself. Their best advice was for me to stand in my bedraggled schoolgirl uniform and blush when Johns approached. They told me to just keep my mouth shut and let the men lead me by my little, shaking hand like a lamb to the butcher's.

The rest of the night I spent hiding and most of my days too, especially in the day. Fastfood restrooms, underpasses, alleyways, bars, all made fine places to be hidden in. Of course, you know, this changed. Luke found me outside of his apartment. When he found me I didn't think he was interested in using me, but I had grown quite cold by then.

Even though he assured me that he had no intentions of foul play, I still had the idea that he would rape me as I fell asleep on his apartment floor. I almost didn't care; his room was warmer and more secluded than the alley I had been in just before. I woke to find myself as I had been when I fell asleep, but with food before me while Luke was rushing around his room trying to find a shirt. There was something very disarming about the thinness of Luke's torso. He looked meek and I didn't think much about the food being drugged.

He said while hopping around on one foot to put a shoe on the other that he had to go. I was free to use his shower and that he had a box of cookies under his mattress if I wanted more food. He had to meet up with a friend, but he would be back later. I didn't know what to say and Luke practically ran out of his apartment.

I ate and showered, but then I wasn't sure what else to do. For the first time in months I just relaxed. I was hidden in a teenage boy's bedroom, warm and with no one asking me for anything. I cried for a little while, probably because there hadn't been time to grieve for all I had lost and all I had taken from me. After a couple hours of on and off tears, I slapped myself and took on a practical mind. I searched Luke's room for resources and had some of his clothes and maybe $50 in my possession. I found a flashlight and a pair of gloves. I also decided to wash my clothes and stripped down to clean them in his bathroom sink. While they dried on the door of his shower I scoured the room further. The desk didn't really have anything in it and his closet had only clothes. I checked his bed and as promised there was a box of gingersnaps, but nothing else. Something about the cookies, again, disarmed me. It was such a boyish thing to do, hiding treats in odd places. Yet it was clear that Luke lived alone. Why would he hide things? Somehow I understood. I understood that he had been mistreated. The mistreated seem to have a tendency to hide things, whether it is material objects or emotions.

I was crouching completely nude by the edge of his bed with the treats in hand when Luke blew into his apartment. I startled and stood quickly while Luke seemed to take a moment to realize what he had walked in on. He clapped both his hands over his eyes and stumbled back outside, nearly tipping over the banister of the fire escape. He apologized fervently as he caught himself and backed into his apartment and shut the door. I had snatched up the blanket from his bed and covered myself. The sight of him apologizing to the door while his hands were at the side of his face like blinders...made me laugh.

Meekly, he said he was sorry. I told him to stop apologizing since we were in his room and I was the one being rude since I was a guest – I bit my lip. Slowly, Luke turned around and said that yes, I was a _guest_.

Bashfully, he told me to pick through his closet and find some clean clothes when I explained why I was naked. He said he would wait in the washroom until I was changed. When he locked himself in the only other room in his apartment, I quickly pulled on the clothes I had laid out on his bed and replaced all that I had removed, except for the cookies. I told him I was changed and tentatively he emerged from the bathroom. I managed to keep my cheeks from flaring as I jokingly asked if he had never seen a naked woman before. Luke shrugged and said no, he hadn't. I felt ashamed for having asked, even if I was being teasing. I felt very crude in his light presence.

Luke flopped on the bed and just began chattering. He told me about his job in the bar below, about being on his own for a couple years now and about a man named Guy, whom he had spent a great deal of the afternoon with. About a month later he told me why he was on his own and we laced our stories together. I suppose I was rather clandestine about my life. The first day we spent together I only admitted to being a girl without a home or decent income. Luke was sympathetic and said he could speak with Noir, his landlord, boss, and unclaimed caregiver. He said we could even go this evening to speak with Noir. While we waited for my clothes to dry, we continued to talk and I began to feel warm again.

I was a little intimidated to speak with Noir because Luke told me to be nothing but honest with her. She was uncanny for determining liars and unsympathetic to those stupid enough to try. She was older than us, but certainly had more life in the sway of her hips and vibrant colours of her hair and dress. I admitted to being a prostitute and had to lower my eyes more to hide the fact that I thought Noir could have made decent money as a woman of the night with her charisma and charm.

When I had told her the bones of my situation, while Luke heartily ate at the other end of the table, she thanked me for my honesty and wouldn't ask me to explain my situation any further. She had an opening at the café we were currently in and I could start whenever I was ready. Her only condition was I was to stop turning tricks and, if I was on any illegal substances, I was to kick that habit too. I told her I was incredibly happy to leave the life of the streets and hooking was my only bad habit. I said I would start tomorrow, if it pleased her. I remember she held me in her gaze shrewdly and I thought she had changed her mind or doubted my conviction. Her face softened as she shook her head and she called me darling and told me I needed more time to heal. I felt a shock pass through me and it straightened my spine. Did she know about the faulty abortion? I was sure it was a figure of speech, but she looked so sad when she said it. She said she would allow me to have the first month of rent free while I healed to which I startled at such kindness and Luke spat his food back onto his plate. He looked accusingly at Noir as he asked why she hadn't given him such treatment when he was first employed by her. Noir said she would have had Luke not been such a pain to train. I let them banter back and forth a couple times before requesting both from Luke and Noir that I be allowed to stay either nearby or with Luke. Noir had no qualms, but she also had no free housing near his loft. Luke immediately volunteered that I be allowed to stay with him. I suppose I asked for such living arrangements because I had few people to trust and Luke was light.

It was three weeks later that Noir deemed me fit to work, although she kept an eye on me all the time. I think she suspected that I was hiding some secret pain. Maybe I had a slight tendency to turn my back to pass through a busy seating area or let my hand rest too often on my scar.

During my three weeks reprieve, I spent a lot of time with Luke when he wasn't working or off with Guy. The rest of the time I divided between reflecting on who I was, what I had been through and what I wanted to do, as well as taking walks around the neighbourhood in daylight. A couple times I looked in phonebooks in telephone booths to see if I could find my brother's name, but I never could.

I noticed a couple changes in Luke's behaviour sometimes. When he came in from work he was usually exhausted though very happy to be off. When he came back from afternoons spent with Guy, whom I had not met yet, he was very happy. He was also happy to just be sitting in his room with me. He enjoyed me telling him stories from Yulia's teaching, which naturally led to me speaking about my heritage. Luke listened and grew very demure when I spoke about the horrors of my ordeal with Mohs. He became surprised when I spoke about my brother and so excited that he shook the bed we sat on. I came to understand that he was one of the boys my brother had talked about teaching at the research facility. Suddenly I didn't feel alone anymore. I felt like I had found someone who connected with me on another level. I believe Luke felt so too, for he spent more time speaking with me each day.

Where our line of friendship blended with another stream of relationship was when Luke came home early one morning from a night spent out with Guy. I had fretted a little that night since he had never stayed out so late except when working, and to see him stumble in not at all rested and bedraggled worried me further. I lifted my head from my pillow as he sat down on the bed we shared. He immediately assuaged my fears by saying he had had a very good night, but – he turned around and stared guiltily down at me – but he wondered if he was right to feel that way. I sat with him on the edge of the bed and asked what he meant. He said that he had spent the night with a man...and then asked me if I still wanted to be around him. I was rather confused and asked him to explain further. He looked at me oddly and asked just how many details I wanted. I decided to forgo asking for anymore and instead asked what had made his night so wonderful. He told me it was because he spent it with Guy. I asked him what part of the night made him confused. He told me the parts that he spent with Guy. We were at an impasse, but I didn't want to push him further because the more I inquired to more dejected he looked. I embraced him and told him of course I still loved him and would continue to do so through his confusion. There was a misconceived fire in my stomach for the man, Guy, who I suspected of coercing innocent Luke. As if to erase Guy's presence with my own, I kissed Luke's cheek and, I think to both our surprise, he turned around and kissed me back, on the lips.

He was tired that morning so we fell asleep after a couple kisses. A couple days later, after I had finished my first shift at Dark Wings, the café, we furthered our affection. I was ecstatic to have completed my shift with ease and pleased with the tips that I felt I deserved. I breezed into Luke's apartment with a smile on my face and we fell into each other's arms. He laughed with me about the joy of being able to take care of myself, but we were a little sobered by the fact that I would have my own apartment soon, likely near the café, quite a few blocks from Luke's. I was foolish to let my emotions get the better of me, but my affection was met with loving affection.

We lay in bed in each other's arms. I dreamed of days where we would be warm and happy like this and, far in the future, I would be healed enough to conceive and to be a mother to a child I knew I could full heartedly love. My daydreams were dispelled by a knock on the door. Luke threw on his clothes and I pulled one of his shirts over myself when sitting beneath the covers. Luke answered the door and I met Guy. He was far younger than I had expected, Guy was maybe two or three years older than us instead of the old, wolfish man I had pictured seducing Luke. He was young, handsome, had a bright countenance and stood in the doorway with his guitar on his back and flowers in his hand. I think we both felt foolish remembering that moment.

I was taken by surprise at how sentimental Guy was and Guy was shocked to register what Luke, the boy he cared for, had been doing in the early evening with the woman in his bed. There was a great deal of pain in Guy's eyes, but most of it vanished with a blink as he excused himself for interrupting. Luke was so clueless, but given his background, it was hardly something to scorn him for. He barely understood how he felt about the two people who had shared a bed with him as he invited Guy in. Guy, who I know never wants to belittle or admonish Luke for social mistakes, agreed to come in. He handed the flowers and the guitar to Luke while making an excuse to use the bathroom. I don't doubt that Guy made such an excuse to give me time to properly dress as well as to collect himself enough to re-enter the room five minutes later with a smile on his face.

Guy was a perfect gentleman. When introduced to me he treated me like a lady even though I am sure he heard about my brother's defect. We had met once at a fundraiser for the preservation of Hoddian tradition and culture, but I was perhaps five and him about seven. He went by Gaillardia then.

Our ancestors would be proud to see the way Guy bent to kiss my hand and greet me as Mysterica. He said that the flowers were as much for me as they were for Luke and I said through a slight frown my thanks. Luke was oblivious to any discomfort and offered to retrieve food from the bar below. When Luke left, Guy took out his guitar and had to look away for a moment to collect himself again. I don't know how he asked me if I had any song preferences with so much sweetness and no venom. I told him anything was fine. He tried strumming out a happy tune, but his heart wasn't in it and, by the look on his face, it pained him to try.

I felt horrible. I felt like I had when I saw the rings on the fingers of the men who pulled me into their cars. Except now I was seeing the wives of those men in the eyes of the handsome, young man before me. I was watching a heart fall to pieces onto the floor of a small loft above a bar.

Guy regained enough composure and mind to settle on a song that he could play with his crumbling heart. It was an old Bon Jovi song and I knew the lyrics if only because it was hopelessly romantic and a little religious. It was a little awkward at first, but my voice eventually melted in with his strumming and light singing. Luke entered the room as we entered the chorus and I thought I saw Guy cringe as he sang about sleeping on a bed of nails.

* * *

><p>We moved into Guy's house not long after. I know it sounds odd that a love triangle would willing live in a house together, but we aren't exactly a love triangle. It's not about competition; it's about finding what is right, so says Guy.<p>

The day before Luke and I were to move, I stopped by Guy's work. He's a mechanic at a small garage, Fonic Automotives, in the more suburban part of town. Guy and I had about four months of friendship, although eighty percent of the time Luke was with us. We could manage a friendship without Luke, but I quite often felt and feel guilty when alone with him. He smiles at me and hugs me in the crook of his arm as he tells me the only thing I'm guilty of is not walking into his life sooner. The sad thing is I believe he truly means it.

The time when I visited him the day before the move was the last time we openly discussed Guy's feelings.

It was evening and I had finished my shift at Dark Wings. Guy was closing up shop, but was still wearing his one-piece coveralls, tool belt and even goggles on his forehead. It was relatively dry early spring weather and warm enough for a spring jacket in the sun, but cool enough for a warm drink to be appreciated. I called Guy's name and handed him a coffee from Dark Wings. He was grateful , but there was a limpness in his smile that didn't have anything to do with the chill brought on by the setting sun. I asked him if he was upset about tomorrow's living arrangement changes. He awoke with a shock from his melancholy and emphatically waved away any such ideas. He said he wasn't sure how to say what was bothering him and looked it by the way he rubbed at the back of his neck. He sighed and told me Legretta had stopped by to speak with him that day. The surprise and ill emotions on my face must have registered with him. He said he hadn't been very polite to her and he was sorry of this upset me. I told him it hadn't (by this time the three of us knew each other's pasts, but Guy understands me better than anyone else). He nodded sympathetically and chuckled as he said he had probably been more than impolite since he threatened her and promptly escorted her out of his shop, but not before she left a message with him. He looked me in the eye and said that Legretta had found Van. I'm sure some sad or longing emotion must have shown in my face, but I replied coolly all the same; Van was dead to me. According to Luke, Asch had experienced the monster in Mohs as I had and how could my brother, Asch's saviour, not know what had happened to the boy? There must have been signs. How could he have left me with Mohs?

Guy slipped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. His lips were warm from the coffee, but he smelt like gas, dust and grease. There was something enduring about how warm and masculine he was at that point. I whispered my apology to him and he startled a little. He asked me why I apologized and I replied simply with our light's name. Guy took in a deep breath and said that I had nothing to be sorry about. He was honest in saying that yeah, he had envisioned being Luke's one and only lover, but our situations weren't that simple. For one, Guy loves Luke and me. He is both the big brother to me and dear friend I wish I could help. Because of my presence he has also become more brotherly towards Luke. I think he means to distance himself from Luke. Perhaps it would hurt less for him if he slowly slipped out of Luke's romantic scope. Once his house has completely fallen to tatters, we will all be forced to make decisions. The house is something like a clock or perhaps a reverse cocoon; eventually our haven will fall apart and we will be forced out no matter if we are worms or butterflies.

Guy also said, to some extent, I agree, it's not fair to make Luke choose based on the circumstances. Since there are multiple factors at play in our triangle the choice for Luke may not be clear. Luke is still learning about the world he lives in and every once in a while his light flickers. Guy was the first of us to stay Luke's hand when he put the knife to his own heart. I remember Guy laughed as he pushed away from me to wash the grime from his hands. He chuckled as he said that there's also the question of Luke's sexuality. Luke's caught between a man and a woman, not a man and a man or a woman and a woman (for reasons of chivalry, if Luke couldn't decided between two women, Guy would have beaten some good manners into him. Hod traditions die hard even among the radical members). I watched Guy scrub at the black streaks on his hands, perhaps a little roughly. By now, after spending almost half a year in my and Guy's presence, Luke should have at least had a hunch as to which sex he is attracted to. Perhaps I am wrong in that assumption.

When Guy turned back to me he was all smiles and he told me that life keeps on going. He would be fine no matter what Luke's choice and he would bear no grudge against me. I warned him he may not have a choice in whether he would hate me or not. Guy just laughed, a little grimly, and said he had made choices already that led up to this point. He could have dropped Luke as he stood in the loft's door with the guitar on his back and flowers in his hand, but he didn't. He looked wistfully at the ground as he whispered that he had fallen for him, despite how childish, unmotivated and dumb Luke could be, he loved him. Guy looked to me and without words I knew he wanted to know how I felt for Luke. And did and do love him, but I don't know if anyone has ever loved Luke the way Guy does.

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>Tear looked up at me as I stood with my hands in my pockets. There was a keen light in her eye, as if she had figured something out. Just as I was about to ask her to continue speaking, my phone went off and my boyfriend left a message that sounded worried and whining about how I had left him high and dry with our dinner guests. As I was pulled out of Tear's memories I was reminded who exactly it was I was meant to be entertaining that night.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.:<strong> Go Tear for being so strong! And for Guy for being so kind. Luke...you've got a bit to learn, buddy. And Jade; I'm proud of you for melting a little. Where do we go from here, Doctor?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary**

Peony holds his alcohol while Jade holds his temper...nah!

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** This story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 5: Holy Tantrum<strong>

These were no lambs of Lorelei that walked into my apartment shortly after nine. Well, except for perhaps Maestro Ion. Mohs, the man the Lanvaldear company had benefitted for years and vice versa, was squat, chunky and red in the cheeks from the cold. The way I describe him makes him sound a little like Santa Claus, but the guy was not jolly. For a man who had begged thousands of dollars out of the Lanvaldear he couldn't pull off the puppy-dog look to save the soul of a beggar in the cold (at least that's what I thought he would use the money for. Maybe buy a new chalice for his church or a tabernacle or something churchy. Clearly my parents tried really hard to educate me in the fields of religion. Seriously, they did. I just figured that I would be a good person, listen to a couple of Yulia's more graphic stories and Lorelei would be cool with me sleeping through most of the service).

Accompanying Mohs was the new Maestro, although I really had to wonder how a guy who looked about Luke's age and intelligence wound up as head of a faction of a new branch. Ion, after speaking a few minutes with him about nonsense, fluff, and all kinds of stuff, I thought wasn't dumb just naive. He really gets people, that's for sure.

And the third guest was the Sheppard for the clueless, little Maestro. She was five foot nothing (and I mean nothing in the way of curves either, the poor kid) but her talkative nature made up for any of her shortcomings (ha ha ha). Her name was Anise and she fell in love with me the moment her foot passed over the threshold into my apartment. Mohs muttered something about me and Jade and I thought Mohs had broken Anise. I thought she would spit hellfire at me or weep for my soul, instead she stood stock-still for a beat then clasped her hands together with an malevolent grin on her face. I knew then she was a fangirl and I feared for my lazy-ass soul to escape this night unscathed.

After settling everyone down on the couch in the living room (if only they knew the torture I had endured on that couch...Mohs would have had a heart attack from disgust, Anise would have had one from over excitement and Ion would probably make some benign comment about how delicious the appetizers were) I excused myself to check the food. Secretly I made a call to Jade's cell phone and hoped he would be home soon. I was getting worried, even though the weather reporter had said the worst of the blizzard was over. I also thought the bastard might have actually skipped off.

I returned to the living room, offering wine to Mohs who declined, but Ion seemed enthusiastic enough. Ion didn't look much older than sixteen, but I shrugged and poured him a glass anyway. Mohs gave me a gutsy sneer, but for all I knew, Ion might possess the power to smite me, so why not abide by him? Besides, I liked Ion better than Mohs. I offered Anise some wine and she seemed like she really wanted to accept, but Ion spoke up.

"Anise, you're only fourteen, remember," Ion chastised.

Anise pouted and crossed her arms as she banged her heels against the couch. "Oh, boo, Ion. You're no fun at all."

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you Maestro Ion? I wouldn't place you over sixteen," I asked.

"I'm actually twenty," he replied happily.

"Oh, well excuse me. You're very youthful for your age."

"No need for apologies at all," he smiled, "I take it as a compliment. You have a lovely home, by the way."

"Oh thanks," I said and took a seat on the chair opposite to all three.

"Where's your husband?" Anise spoke up all of a sudden and rather jittery too (she seemed to rebound quickly from her disallowance from wine).

I laughed heartily as I replied, "Why don't you ask him when he blows in here? That's something I'd like to see. And you have to call him _my_ husband. In all serious, I don't know where Jade is. He had a late case at the clinic and the weather's bad. And just a heads-up, we're not married."

Mohs sat stiffly on the couch while Ion said sincerely, "If you ever do wish to be wedded I would happily do so."

"Tell Jade that for me, would you?"

Mohs grunted and it truly sounded displeased. The sickened smile he attempted to give didn't make him look anymore sincere. Still, I laughed and took a large gulp of wine while thinking, _Jade, where the hell are you, man?_

* * *

><p>Another half-hour ticked by and I had no choice but to set the table and lay out the food before it burned. Ion felt bad for dining without Jade, but I assured him that Jade had learned his manners long ago. He knew that when it came to dinner, if he was an hour late then I already ate (he would of course comment on my poor sentence composition and stupid rhymes. A real gentleman, that Ice Queen). Mohs didn't seem to care, in fact he seemed like he just wanted to be rid of the whole lot of us. Anise prodded Ion into eating, but expressed her regrets about missing Jade.<p>

"It's too bad he couldn't be here," she said while digging into her potatoes, "I heard he's quite the looker."

I shrugged and replied, "It's why I'm with him."

"Figures," she said gloomily and took a rest from eating to cross her arms and hoist her nose up, "All the good looking guys don't want what I've got."

"And you don't want what Jade's got," I said, imagining the cunning smirk curving his lips.

"And remember, Anise, you're only fourteen. Jade's too old for you," Ion chimed in. Anise shoved her nose higher into the air. Ion turned to me and said with a sweet smile, "You have lovely china and silverware, Peony."

"Thanks, Ion. It was a hand-me-down from Mrs. Curtiss, uh, Jade's adoptive mother."

Ion gasped, "Yes! I know her! She's quite pious and I've seen her in the church. She said she had also passed down a Hod vase. I'm very interested in Hodian artefacts and would love to see your vase after dinner."

"How much do you want to see? There might be a nice chunk under the sofa," I muttered around a lump of dry roast in my mouth.

"Pardon, Peony?"

"Oh, nothing, I just was wondering whether Jade had taken the vase out of storage or not."

At that point the door blew open, hit the wall and made all of us jump. Anise apologized to Ion for spraying him with water, Ion forgave her and apologized to me for flinging potato at me and I didn't bother apologizing to Mohs for kicking him under the table, even though he was rubbing at his shin. I was too busy ogling my boyfriend who had on his face an icy imitation of a Cheshire grin as he stood in the doorway.

"My apologies to everyone. The blizzard's wind must have swept in with me and blasted the door," Jade said as he removed his coat and shoes.

I had known Jade long enough to recognize when he is irked. Jade doesn't let a storm ruin his day, he ruins the storms day (don't ask me how). So to say that the blizzard's wind followed him into the doors of our condo's building and into the elevator up several flights just to push our door around like an ill-tempered ghost, seemed more than a little farfetched. But it would be _so_ Jade if the comment was laced with sarcasm. And if it was, then he was very much irked if he risked looking like a prick in front of guests (even if they were guests coming to beg money from us).

Anise was the first to turn back to her food, sighing, "He's not as good looking as I thought he would be."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Jade said as he sauntered over to the kitchen to snatch up the wine bottle and a glass. Anise snickered into her spoon while the rest of us watched Jade curiously.

I thought about asking Jade if he had had a nice day at the office, but I didn't want to draw his fire. Not when he was strung like this, good Lorelei, if I cut one of his taut wires who knows what would fall upon my head. Instead Mohs took his chances poking at the Jade's nerves.

"Mr. Curtiss-"

"Balfour," Jade corrected curtly and came to stand at the table next to my elbow.

"I'm sorry, but I don't-"

"Curtiss is my adoptive parents' surname. I was never particularly fond of the Curtiss's and would much rather be addressed by my surname, Balfour. More wine, Peony?" Jade asked as he motioned to my glass with the wine bottle's neck.

"I think I'm good."

"Forgive me, Mr. Balfour," Mohs said, a little bit ruffled, but humble enough to tip his great, big head. Jade sipped at his wine, regarding Mohs with smiling, serpentine eyes. "I was not made aware by your mother that your relationship is not a happy one. She speaks of nothing but your accomplishments when I talked with her at mass last Sunday."

"I'm sure she does, although she only speaks about the ones that accomplish something for her. For example, I'm sure she told you I was offered the position of head doctor at the hospital, to which I declined, but I am certain she never mentioned why."

"She mentioned it and I assumed it was out of humbleness that you declined," Mohs said warily.

I had had about four glasses of wine by then, so my lips were a little loose. I let out a laugh to which Anise and Ion turned their heads at and Jade simply smiled at me.

"And I am humbled by your assumption, Maestro. Peony, why don't you have another glass of wine?" he said as he sat the bottle before me, but I waved him away.

"No, the reason I didn't take the position was because if I had I would have had to leave the clinic I have been dividing my time with for a couple years now. Not many people view dealing with teenage pregnancies as prestigious, even in the medical world."

"I suppose not, but so long as your heart is in the right place..."

"Indeed," Jade said. Either the storm had knocked the power out or Jade's attitude changed and the heat dropped a couple degrees (the lights were still on so I assumed the Ice Queen was reigning at the moment). Anise and Ion seemed to notice too for they watched Jade unsmilingly and with a great deal of intensity that probably had little to do with how handsome his face is. Mohs didn't seem to notice a shift. For whatever reason he seemed more into chatting up Jade than me (later that night after a couple giddy rounds of sex, Jade would tell me Mohs was sucking up to him because he thought he had an in through Mrs. Curtiss. I pointed out that Mohs still targeted him well after he found out how Jade truly felt about the Curtiss's. Through smirking lips Jade whispered to me that he was still more approachable because he is far less flamboyant than me. I'd like to say I decked him for that one, but we were both feeling too good to taste sour grapes).

"Well, well then, Mr. Balfour. Would you like to join us in dinner before we speak of financial topics?" Mohs asked.

Jade shook his head and said, "No thank you, Maestro. My appetite was ruined by my last patient at the clinic. Of course, I can't give you many details according to confidentiality, but it was a rather upsetting case. Now then..."

Jade made his way to the seat reserved for him at the head of the table, opposite to Mohs. He set his wine before the plate, but didn't take a seat.

"The Lanvaldear's have always been generous to your cause, but I read in the paper a couple years back about a defecting minister who kidnapped one of a set of twins. And these twins happen to be relatives of the Lanvaldear's. Since the minister was yours I'm guessing you lost some of the President's sympathy."

My eyebrows went up a bit and there was a low 'oooo' from Anise. Ion continued to look from Jade to Mohs with a confused smile on his face. Mohs looked affronted and I was about to say something to Jade like this talk can wait until after dinner or simply sit down and stuff your mouth Jade, literally. But Jade's tongue went from forked to silver within the same sentence.

"That is unfortunate, but certainly not your fault. I will not begrudge you for it, rest assured," Jade said and lifted his glass to the man at the other end of the table who couldn't decide whether to smile or glower. "Now, I believe you are petitioning for our, well, primarily Peony's contribution in order to renovate the children's hospital which has often received you benefit," Jade's smile could have carved my dry roast easily and it was then that I started to feel like I was missing some very important information. "You work hard and I would expect no less than a miracle of life from a heart like yours."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Mohs said, probably picking up on Jade's sarcasm (I know I was but I wasn't sure why it was being layered on so thick. By the way Mohs leaned back from Jade as if his tongue actually could slice, I guessed Mohs had some suspicion as to what Jade was getting at. Nearly three sheets to the wind, I had no fucking clue).

Jade's eyebrow quirked slightly as he said, "No, you didn't, did you?"

"What...?" Mohs asked truly confused. Whatever track he thought he had been following of Jade's train of thought, he'd been sent for a loop.

Most of the people at the table (everyone except Jade) almost went for a legitimate loop when Jade pulled the tablecloth out from under the laid table (and I mean this literally too). The food, the wine, the china and silverware Mrs. Curtiss had given us, the centerpiece of modern Hodian artwork all stayed put as the white cloth slipped away over the stained wood of the table. Anise's chair legs clunked back to the ground and a low, appreciative "_Wow_..." escaped her slacked lips. Ion looked bewildered for a moment, but he turned to frown at Mohs. And the man who was target of Jade's slithering anger was as far back in his chair as possible and watching his own horrified face in Jade's meticulously polished surface of the table. I let my chair legs gently touch floor and let out a quiet breath. At the end of the table, neatly winding and folding up the table cloth was Jade. The sarcasm was gone from his face. His lips, his eyes and the feel of him was just flat. The Ice Queen's storm had raged and quit to leave the land frozen for many, many months. The buzzer on the wall rang.

I got up and rang whoever it was in with no mind at all. I was far too interested in watching Jade who was flatly glaring at Mohs. The Maestro was just getting around to rousing himself. I leaned myself against the wall and watched the dinner party as a fly does.

Mohs was stumbling over forming a sentence when Jade cut him off with a cool tone.

"Tonight will be rather fruitless for you, Maestro. Regrettably, for you, I will not be funding any of your future endeavours or foundations and I will encourage my partner to do likewise," with a quick zipping motion of his hands, Jade smoothed the crease of the folded tablecloth and laid it lightly on the table, "I would much prefer to give directly to the charities you claim to aid than to give even a penny towards funding your cycle of abuse."

Mohs shot backwards up and out of his chair, "_What?_ What exactly are you insinuating? How dare you make accusations of – of..."

Anise and Ion shared a solemn look while Mohs sneered at Jade. There was a knock on the door and absentmindedly I reach over and opened it. I didn't even realize the stylishly ragged shock of red hair that first peeked around the door before he was half way to Mohs. In fact, I think Jade noticed Luke first then maybe me, but Mohs probably noticed him before me (it was the Maestro's look of abhorrent fear that clued me in). Anise and Ion noticed Luke too, but I think they were a little disappointed (if I had only Mohs' face to go by for deducing what had walked in our door, I would have expected the spirit of Lorelei with a ghostly chainsaw. A cute redhead was a bit of a letdown).

Mohs actually backed away from Luke (I looked to Jade confusedly, but he merely grimaced) and spluttered, "Which one are you? Asch?"

"Does it matter?" Luke asked cattily and tapped his head.

"Lorelei, I miss being separated from you already. You're such a fucking idiot. Get out of my way," a second Luke said, taking me by surprise by tromping furiously through the door. The second Luke with the angry disposition shoved the first one aside and continued to bear down on Mohs. The Maestro backed into the wall and composed himself enough to straighten his lips and put his hands at his side. Anise and Ion slipped out of their seats and I really couldn't blame them (there's something about angry redheads that is just terrifying. Maybe it's because they look like they are on fire or resemble enraged tomatoes).

Both Lukes vied to be the angriest redhead and shoved at each other while advancing on Mohs. Eventually the longer haired and less personable Luke fully turned on the original.

"Alright, what is your problem?" angrier Luke snarled, "This is _my_ fight. Mohs is _mine_ to fuck up. He fucked me not you."

"Would you just pull your head out of your ass? I've got reasons to hate him too," original Luke bit back, all the while Mohs attempted to slip along the wall. He wasn't getting too far with the redheads pretty much encasing him and Jade blocking the other end of the table like a stone-cold sentinel.

"Oh really? Then show me!" the angrier one barked and did a really weird thing. He pulled the real Luke's head close to his and, maybe it was the dreamer in me (definitely the dreamer), but I thought they were going to kiss. Instead he drew their foreheads together and they glowered at each other. I looked to Jade for some kind of explanation or a shared look of bewilderment, but he was watching Mohs better than the eyes of Yulia's statue outside of St. Lorelei.

The redheads stood like that for awhile while the rest of the room looked worriedly on them. Again, I was jolted when _again_ a voice sounded from the doorway. It wasn't another Luke like I had expected, but a man about my age. None of the scene or walking into a stranger's apartment fazed him. Calmly he strode past me and spoke to the Lukes.

"Asch, you came here for persecuting the Maestro, not for torturing your brother and Luke-"

"Don't patronize me!" both Lukes or, I guess, brothers spat in unison.

"I called Asch because I thought he would want to be here for this, but I've got reasons to want Mohs behind bars too, Van," Luke said to the man by the door. Mohs attempted to slip past, but Ion was standing next to him and, with a squeal of surprise, Ion innocently stopped Mohs by being a human fence. Anise surged forward to catch Ion's back and Asch grabbed Mohs by the lapels to hold him against the wall. Luke took that moment of not being jostled to turn to Van. With a sad quaver in his otherwise pretty gusty voice, he said, "I do have reasons too. Mohs didn't touch me because he had someone else at the time. I owe her and even if I didn't, I would still be here because I love her," Luke pulled a face, like the man Van was half as dirty as he found Mohs, "You should be here for her too. I can't believe you would leave your little sister with this monster," and Luke pointed at Mohs.

Van went rigid and I saw his beard bob with unspoken words. He grated out, "Tear...so she was...then?"

"She's got the scars to prove it," Luke said sombrely.

"Are you guys done with the whining yet?" Asch barked as he jammed his rather toned forearm under Mohs' chin. "Do I get to tear this bastard apart now?"

"Violence isn't the answer," Ion said wistfully just as Asch decked Mohs. All hell broke loose. I couldn't recall action to action even if I hadn't downed nearly half a bottle of wine.

Mohs was probably hit a couple more times since he came out with a black eye and cut lip after all the chaos. At some point Luke rushed to his brother's side (maybe he was the one who blackened Mohs' eye). Van entered the fray to pull Asch off of Mohs while Ion was jostled by the angry mob around the older Maestro. At some point the tides turned from "beat the bastard black and blue" to "everyone just clear out". That was probably when Anise pushed forward, squeezing through fiery redheads and ducking random blows to slap a pair of handcuffs on Mohs. I remember clearly enough Mohs taking one fine knee to the gut when Asch was finally pulled away.

Anise, sneaky girl, deterred another swing from Asch and stood in front of Mohs. She squared her little shoulders and widened her stance. With her hands on her hips she barked like a drill sergeant, "No more beating on this perverted piñata until _after_ he's been officially found guilty. Once it's down in writing how disgusting he is then you've got my unofficial permission to exact bloody revenge on him. You're lucky I'm on duty, Mohs," Anise said with a narrowed eyed glance over her shoulder.

Once the cops burst into the room I decided to move my drunk ass elsewhere (next the judge and jury would probably walk in and I still wouldn't have a clue what was going on). The cops took Mohs' arms and one helped Van restrain Asch, that is until the cop seemed to recognize Van and asked him to put his hands up and get on his knees. Van complied and was cuffed then escorted out much like Mohs while Asch swore with all his fiery little heart at the cops, at Luke, at Mohs and at Ion for standing in his bubble. He left with a storm raging in his eyes and thunderous tromps.

I found myself next to Anise who had her hands on her hips in a well-done fashion. The only thing I could think to ask her was, "So...you always bring handcuffs with you to clergy dinner parties?"

"Only to one that I've been to with the former Maestro Mohs. Oops! Guess I shouldn't count my monsters before they hatch, but, with the telepathic twins' confessions, I think I've got enough evidence to damn him in my eyes," she said with a grin sweeter than sugar. She sighed as if the night was pressing down on her but she was too bouncy to be given any sympathy. "Now I've just got to convince Luke and Asch to go to court against Mohs. They would look good in suits, but something tells me neither of them is accustomed to wearing pants for more than three hours straight. Which is fine with me, I hear they're both gay, but I don't think nudity will help their case."

I nodded along while she chattered, paused to let her last sentences sink ship in the alcoholic waves of my brain then asked, "Anise, how old are you exactly?"

"Me? I'm just about right for you, Peony. I'm 23, going on 24 in the new year," she said then sauntered over to Ion. Over her shoulder and not at all under her breath she muttered, "Lorelei, think it'd be obvious. Kids can't be cops."

Anise almost (yeah, right) dragged Ion out the door. Anise gave a quick salute to Jade, and Ion had time to comment on what a wonderful home Jade and I had before tripping over the threshold.

My head was clearing up nicely now, but I sat down and ran a hand through my hair. _What the hell just happened_?

"Why are you here?" Jade asked and I startled with proclamations of love hanging dumbly off my tongue when I realized Luke was still here. He looked a little out of sorts in our we've-worked-to-our-bones-and-expect-to-retire-early condo in his ripped jeans and several flannel shirts, but what really stuck him out was the uncertain look he wore. In the end Luke just shrugged and said he would tell Jade later once he figured it out himself then left. It was just Jade and me. I put my head in my hands because I was feeling tired now that the condo was quiet.

Jade's mute steps could be heard coming closer. He put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed kindly.

"Forgive me, Peony, I have done some damage to your career tonight since my actions have led to your dinner guest and long-time spokesman's arrest," I grunted and maybe Jade took it as veiled anger (I really wasn't. Jade's apology was real, it was heartfelt. Oh yeah, he's all "my apologies" after his tongue lashes, but hardly are his apologies ever sincere or said demurely like they ought to be. The last time I heard actual regret in his request for forgiveness was when my father died. He gave me his condolences and kissed me for the first time. He apologized for the kiss; he knew I wasn't too sore about my father). I didn't catch the hand on my shoulder before it slipped away.

"I'll be my office, Peony. If you are composed enough, there are some documents I think would help you to understand what happened tonight, and would give you a viable excuse for why your dinner guest was taken away by the police. I'll leave them on your bed."

* * *

><p>Our bedroom was dark except for my bedside lamp. My tie was off, shirt buttoned down and belt loosened by two or three notches. The room was soundless thanks to the fat snowflakes that pillowed cars wheels and thickened windowpanes. I had been lying on my back with Jade's papers casually held to my face, but as I turned page after page of Luke's then Guy's stories, I found myself farther and farther perched on the edge of the mattress.<p>

My eyes were blurry from reading so long from Jade's girly, neat writing, but still I looked around me for the missing bohemian's story.

I wandered down the dark hallway to Jade's office to ask him where Tear's story was, but he wasn't there. The lamp on the desk was on and there was more of Jade's feminine scrawled pages neatly placed on the centre of his desk...

I'll admit it; I cried when I found out what had happened to Tear. I would never be a woman and I haven't thought about producing an heir for the Lanvaldear-Malkuth corporate-beast, but my heart broke for her. It sounded like she would have raised Mohs' child to the best of her ability and would have blackened her name, but not the monster's who had hurt her. Then to have the only potentially positive thing taken from her and her chances of ever having a child reduced...salt in her wound didn't cut it. But, by the quick note on the bottom of the last page explaining why he was late that night, it seemed like Jade had put his wicked mind to work in the course of good.

The lights in the apartment were off and the kitchen and dining room sat a little awkwardly with food and wine glasses left out. Screw cleaning up, I could do that in the morning, but I needed Jade pronto. The bastard wasn't in the bathroom, living room or bedroom. That left only the guest bedroom (did you really think I would be that angry about how you handled that night? The only thing I could have been angry about was that I didn't get a chance to deck Mohs).

There was Jade, asleep on the spare bed (I wondered if he had ever sent himself to his room when he'd been caught stealing from the cookie jar or teasing his little sister). I sat down on the edge of the bed with enough weight to bounce him awake. He took in a deep sleepy breath and peeked over his shoulder at me.

"Ah, Peony...I had dismissed your quick reading ability due to the empty bottle of wine on the counter," he began to dopily sit up as he said, "I can truly ask for forgiveness now that you understand-"

I pulled him the rest of the way into a sitting position when I kissed him. I don't think it was tiredness that made him slow to reply, it couldn't have been since he kissed me back then pulled away to squint at me in the nearly pitch room.

"I'm not angry, Jade. Why would I be over something like this? I give more of a damn about the trio that I met a couple months ago than I do about what President Lanvaldear will think tomorrow morning. I'm happy for them and proud of you," I said and hugged him.

Jade laughed dryly, "That's not something a higher-up in this city's greatest-"

I pressed a smiling kiss on him and whispered seductively, "Don't tell me what I actually do at my job. I like keeping it a secret."

"Very well," Jade chuckled and probably knew that I was more than half serious about it being secret. He didn't protest at my pointless (pointless in his eyes) massaging and holding him close. He spoke after a couple moments of blind petting in the dark, "What I meant to apologize for was how seemingly useless I was in convicting Mohs. I knew exactly what he had done to Tear after our chat at the clinic, but there seemed little I could do other than unsettle him and refuse donations, especially after seeing Anise at the table. I could have accused him with frank details, but that would have done little good. Anise could arrest him based on what I knew, but I would likely be charged for unethical practice or for breaking confidentiality, both of which may have caused conflicts in a court trial. My actions seem rather pitiful compared to Luke and Asch's blazing confrontation. This is why I ask forgiveness of you, knowing the man that you are. You would not have resorted to covert methods. You would have been a man among men and forced the truth on him even if you had to force feed him off my mother's china. The roast looked dry, by the way."

"Oh don't you dare try to change the subject. Lorelei and his whole choir of angels know I can't cook. I was made that way and you were made yours," I said rather passionately. I pinched Jade's chin in my hand to get just how serious I was across. "You amaze me. After twenty years of friendship and four years of love you still pull the rug out from under my feet. And that stunt with the tablecloth, where the hell did you learn _that_? Never mind. I'll care tomorrow morning when I'm through with you. I love you for sticking just close enough to the rules to hoodwink everyone when the time's right. I don't think you get just how much I love-"

(I don't think I even understood how much I loved him then. I'd ask all my little technical questions in the morning after we had slept in a little too late from having too much fun the night before). The best I can describe loving him was how I had this need to keep us together as much as possible. I wanted to lie as close and complete as the snow covering the streets and roofs. I pulled him closer and kept kissing him while pushing against him and slipping hands around his hips and down his shirt. I tried to keep close and keep feeling him. I'm sure Jade was none too pleased to be carried by me to our own bedroom and I think he actually snarled when I dropped him on the bed (he openly despises some (most) of my romantic tendencies).

Unlike Jade, I am gentle. Yeah, I undressed us both like lightening had struck our clothes off, but I pilled the pillows up behind him all for his comfort. Jade, despite his formal manners, has always been relaxed when it comes to bedroom fun. I slipped easily inside him and just kissed him until he nearly bit my lips off with impatience. I touched him in all his favourite places; the hollow just below his Adam's apple, the pointed bones of his hips, where his thigh and butt meet. I kept us so close that our stomachs moved over one another like a ship on the sea.

We kept a steady pace, but were both gasping and tensing after what felt like only a couple pushes. Jade was arching backwards into the pillows and I slid a hand under his neck and another to his tailbone for the final push. I really don't know how much I loved him then. Neither of us are screamers, but I know I gasped heartily when Jade arched deep onto my belly. We let ourselves down; gears and limbs grinding and winding down to a slow stop of the clock.

Jade had his eyes closed and panted to get his breath back. I clumsily fingered his hair from his face. I looked out our window and saw the moon making the snow around the pane glow like a halo. The storm had stopped, but the snow continued to fall gently like an afterglow.

"Peony," Jade said a little hoarsely. His finger swept up my back to touch the stubble on my cheek. His eyes were half lidded and he looked like he was steeling himself, like the Ice Queen possible had a melt or leak somewhere in her armour. He reached up and kissed from my mouth to my forehead before falling back into the pillows. "Perhaps we now understand how much we love each other."

* * *

><p>I was quite surprised to not see a message or missed call from work the next morning (nearly afternoon, honestly). I thought old man Lanvaldear would have at least sent a greater than colon opening bracket to my cell phone, but I guess emoticons really aren't his thing. I lifted my head from the mattress and the room throbbed once. My mouth felt dry like I'd been eating crackers in my sleep. I had enough of my mind to check my phone, felt a twinge of surprise and felt another when I realized Jade was still in bed. I checked his pager and no one had tried to get in contact with him either, so I let him stay half drowned in the pillows. I settled myself back down, flopping over Jade's chest and closed my eyes as I waited for him to tell me off.<p>

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>Once fully awake and after a minute lover's spat instead of coffee, I explained as best I could what had happened last night to Peony. I told him how Guy had come to me asking for my expertise, how the bohemian's refused to seek an on duty doctor at the hospital, and how Natalia arranged for all five of us to be driven to my clinic where I treated Tear.<p>

After watching the four youth clamber into the Lanvaldear's Lexus and drive back to their nest, I made my way home. My fury kept me company as I stepped through the drifts on the empty streets.

I can only speculate, but I guessed that during my venture home Luke called his brother, by telepathy or by the everyday way, and, for reasons known only to him, decided to seek out Mohs at our dinner party. Asch seemed torn as to whether or not he truly wanted to be there, but Luke looked rather determined (perhaps he discovered his true feelings for Tear after seeing her so in pain). It was lucky that Luke decided to take my information of Mohs' whereabouts such as he did. Had he not, Mohs likely would have left our condo fuming and a little unnerved, but not in handcuffs. The twins' accusations were enough to convince an already suspicious and prone to bias undercover cop like Anise. The only way I knew of Anise's identity was because she was a memorable patient of mine when I was still at the hospital as a medical student. She has a condition that has kept her from growing and developing. Due to complications, she was unable to receive full treatment and remains looking about the age of thirteen. She is often mistaken for being an adolescent until she informs her patroniser of her many exploits as an undercover cop in various covert child brothels around the city. I suppose I am well informed, but I would never suspect her of being a child since ninety percent of what she says if far beyond the innocence of a child.

Anise had Mohs arrested and the backup she had called when the fighting broke out also apprehended Van Grants, likely because he had kidnapped Asch from the research facility years ago.

(Later, after a gruesome trial that took the greater part of the new year to resolve, we would be made aware that Van had truly rescued Asch from the facility. Van had noticed a terrifying change in the boy's mental state. Asch had gone to such creative lengths to commit his suicide, securing the spring of a pen and managing to unwind it to puncture his skin. It wasn't until a year after Van rescued him that Asch divulged Mohs had raped him. It seems there was a falling out between Asch and Van, who had lived in secret in a small town a couple hours from our city, and the cause for the fallout was Van's turned attention towards finding his sister. He had returned to Jue's Path where he had left his sister, believing she was safe, only to find out she had runaway. Both Van and Asch returned to the city separate from one another; Van to find his sister and Asch to engage in as many sexual exploits with as many men as possible. Van and Asch's paths would cross every once in a while, but they always ended up unresolved. Asch was rebellious and hurt that once again he had been forsaken, while Van attempted to balance caring for Asch and searching for his sister. Van did so by giving Asch his number and a key to the apartment he was renting. Asch rarely ever called, but on nights when he was feeling particularly vindictive, he would bring one of his seduced club-goers to Van's place and engage in sex in Van's very own bed. It just so happened that Asch was engaged when Luke was able to force a message through to his brother, detailing what he knew about Mohs and his plan to accuse him. Asch replied scornfully, but, I believe, felt goaded into facing Mohs when Luke remained convicted. Van was released from custody after Asch testified that Van, despite being a "lonely fucker, pretty much saved [Asch's] life").

I didn't have anything else to tell Peony so we engaged in sexual activities well into the afternoon. We were disrupted by a shrill ringing of Peony's cell phone, which I forced him to answer (we both recognized the ringtone despite not having to hear it for the past month. I received pleasure from watching him apathetically pick up the phone).

"Hey, Natalia. What's up girl?" Peony asked.

I smirked as Peony winced and, regrettably, leapt from my arms. He held the phone out from his ear for Natalia could be heard from where I lay in bed. She sounded rather agitated and Peony too looked upset as he kicked clothes aside to find something appropriate. The topic of frustration was Peony not being at work before noon.

"Really, Peony, I knew you were entertaining last night and the paper said that Mohs had been apprehended at your place – quite a shock, I know – but did you honestly think that would excuse you for taking the entire day off? Your world must be quite small and central to yourself if you think this incident calls for an entire missed day. When will you be in office? If you don't give me a definite time I shall rendezvous with you at your place. Does 2:30 sound decent? Peony, I shall-"

"Peony is furiously scrambling to retrieve a clean pair of boxers as the moment and he is signalling that 2:30 is fine so long as he isn't required to shave," I replied when Peony handed me the phone so he could dress.

"Oh, Dr. Balfour. Good afternoon. Have you taken the day off as well?"

"No, today is my day off, for the most part. I plan to make a house call to a recovering patient."

"Yes, that's very kind of you," Natalia said wistfully and her stream of words slowed. "She was in a bit of pain last night, but she didn't seem to mind. She smiled a good deal."

"Yes, hope does that to people. I presume that you have reunited with your father seeing as you are once again herding Peony."

"You make Peony sound like he's a grouping of cattle," she said with a disgusted snort.

"No, if I were to equate him with livestock it would definitely have to be a pig. His closet truly does resemble a sty," I said as I paced the room and peeked in his closet. Indeed, clothes were heaped on the floor and a pair of boots hung from their laces with the coat hangers.

"That hardly seems like a term of endearment," she said with another snort.

"It's not, I simply enjoy being honest. So why did you desert your father, Natalia, if you don't mind me asking?" I inquired as I walked to the bathroom. Peony was inside cleaning his mouth with mouthwash. He gargled and spat as I added, "I thought you enjoyed being active in your father's company."

"I did...I do," she sighed as she said, "Call it a lapse of uncertainty. I felt a great deal of pressure to do well by my father, but I was uncertain about where I truly wanted to be and where I was needed to be."

"If I may make a suggestion?"

Peony swore as he banged into the edge of the counter.

"You are the doctor," she said, although she sounded wary. Likely she had recalled the advice I had given her on apologizing and my tendency to lecture about the consequences of unsafe sex. This time I planned to be nothing but congenial.

"My suggestion is to speak with Peony."

"Speak with Peony? About what matters?" She asked bemusedly. I heard a _clomp_ noise in the background.

"About what made you uncertain," I said as I pushed into the bathroom where Peony was fastening his belt. He paid me no mind, "Though I sense some differences in your characters, he is no stranger to the pulls of want and must. Approach him today to ascertain yourself."

"You are not being sarcastic, doctor?" she asked suspiciously.

"Not in the slightest."

"This advice truly isn't a ploy you and Peony devised should I ever re-enter your lives? Made to encourage me to keep my distance from your partner?"

"Natalia, that horse is dry to the bone. Let it rest. No," I said as I stopped Peony from exiting the bathroom. He made a gesture that I was to understand as a question as to why I was thoroughly in his way. I pointed to his shirt and he saw the buttons he had pushed into the wrong holes. With one hand I unfastened and refastened them. "No, I am being entirely sincere with you. I wish for you to travel as far and as fast down your path of success as possible. I will certainly bear no grudge against you for leaving me behind."

"Thanks, honey," Peony laughed and kissed me.

"Thank you, doctor. I am – doctor, what's that noise? It sounds like almost like a popping noise. Do you hear is on your end? Like a suction or small smacking-"

"I believe we're breaking up. Peony will be with you shortly," I muttered while Peony bit at my throat with lip covered teeth.

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>Me and the lioness-poodle-princess. Round two courtesy to Jade (thanks, honey). I had rushed to my office, high-fiving my secretary and receiving a finger slicing across her throat as she nodded to my office door. So she was inside, already?<p>

Superstitiously I peeked around my door before entering. I thought maybe she would be waiting around the corner on all fours with her back arched and French manicured fingernails digging up the carpet. Natalia was standing behind my desk facing the window. With the days in winter being shorter, the sun was already three quarters of the way to the western horizon. It was a burning orange when it wasn't obscured by grey snow clouds. Her hands were clasped at her lower back and her shoulders looked a little hunched. I rounded my desk to stand next to her. I peered at her but she didn't greet me. She looked a lot sadder than she had sounded on the phone and not at all lethal like my secretary had suggested. I decided not to be too pressing, but still encouraging when I spoke to her.

"S'up?" I asked.

"Peony, Jade referred you to me," she said quietly.

"He's quite the doctor, huh? Pawning poor, well not literally poor, lost girls on me. You know he's a genius, right?"

"I need to explain a couple things to you and perhaps you will be some help to me once I do."

She took in a deep breath and stared hard at the orange skyline between the black buildings.

"Surely you remember me accompanying my father to work when I was little?" she asked.

The one time when I was able to laugh her off as she ordered people about in designer princess dresses. I nodded, "I remember it."

"I had fun when I was little and I was so happy to be here. And so happy that my father was proud and excited to have me with him. It was our dream that I would actually have sway here one day and not just as the boss' daughter but as a boss," she smiled sadly and her reflection bashfully lowered its eyes at the original's grin. "I didn't question my dream until recently when I found out my father was sick and that I, potentially, would have to take over for him."

I felt my stomach hit the floor, but my reflection had it worse; his plummeted 30 stories to the packed-snow sidewalk below. I had felt that sinking feeling when my own father finally kicked it. There I was, sitting in the fancy funeral home with its stupid carved angels and scenes of nature wallpapered onto the wall. I bet the closest thing my father and all his colleagues had seen to the deer peeking between tree trunks on the walls was when they watched Bambi with their kids (if any of them had watched Bambi with their kids. My dad did with me, but I'm not sure he truly appreciated it. It kind of makes me laugh that he laughed when Bambi's mom got shot. He said it was just like Hollywood to put the drama into kids at an early age. I think he blamed Disney for me being gay). And there, at the funeral home of all places, my father's recently retired partner said that he had left the company to me. I remember old man McGovern putting his hand on my shoulder and apologizing for quite a bit. He was sorry I lost my father, sorry he had to tell me the news about the company then, but it would be business as usual tomorrow, though he said he would return to work for the first two weeks in my stead if I needed time to grieve. He was sorry he couldn't take my place, but the will very clearly had my name written on the damning paper, and he really was too old. He was sorry that I was forced into that corner and jokingly said he would never trust his son with such a task at so young an age. What he really meant was he would never have done that to his son unless he was certain he wanted the position. I just kept my head bowed because McGovern had a knack for reading people and being frank with them. From the corner of my eye I could see my best friends, Jade and Saphir, both behaving for once. I kept Jade in my eye as he politely greeted people in the receiving line in my place. The bastard fooled every single person who stepped up to the casket.

McGovern clapped my shoulder and went to take his place in the chapel. I hung on the wall wishing I could fall back into the woodland wallpaper and run away with Bambi, Thumper and all the rest of his forest friends. People stopped filing in and out of the casket room and the hallway I was in just outside became very quiet. I peered over at Saphir sniffling (Lorelei knows why, he didn't even know my father, but I guess emotional sums up Saphir. I miss the jealous bastard. Too bad he hates Jade's guts for becoming a full-fledged doctor before him) and caught Jade's eye as the last person left the casket's side. Jade muttered something to Saphir and they both walked over to me.

Saphir clung to Jade's arm and Jade put a hand on my upper arm.

"Come, Peony. The pallbearers are arranging."

The service had passed quickly enough, but people lingered around the gravesite and nearly everyone went to my father's office where refreshments were being served. I had barricaded myself in the secretary's desk behind the boxes of my father's things. I was a little wasted. His colleagues had brought champagne for a toast and I had helped myself to their kindness and to my father's liquor he had kept in his office, now in the boxes before me. Jade found me laughing to myself. He sat down with me, told me I smelt like a bar and asked me if I was quite alright.

"Yeah, yeah. My father laughed when Bambi's mom – BAM! – bit the bullet. Sadistic, huh?"

"Not one of his better remembered moments, no," Jade said soberly.

"I'm head of aaaaalll this!" I said, gesturing around the office, but it probably looked like I was pointing at the underbelly of the secretary's desk.

"Congratulations."

"Fuck no. I don't want it," I said and remembered sticking my head between my knees.

"My my, this is not the Peony I know," Jade said in his Jadish way, "The Peony I know isn't a martyr. He takes pitfalls with a stride that most people describe as happy-go-lucky, though I secretly believe it's foolishness. He also acts how he likes and is no one's dog to command."

"Jade, I don't want your sarcasm right now, so if that's really all that you're capable of...just fuck off, 'kay?"

"Deny the position, Peony, if that is what you're truly upset about."

"I can't. There's no one else to take his place and if I don't take it Lanvaldear will take over and my father's baby will tank. Mom and I'll scrape by okay, but hundreds of people will lose their jobs. I can't sink their ships just because I've abandoned mine."

"How eloquent. It's quite a talent to be both poetic and drunk."

"I said cut the sarcasm, Jade or get out," and I pointed him out from under the desk. He regarded me blandly before making a remark.

"Peony, remember your soberer, happier self; make the best of a bad situation," he said with words I probably said at one point. In his dry humour he joked, "You can still be the man you wish to be just you will have to be that man in a monkey suit."

"You know what my dad wrote on the will? I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget. Read it, 'cause I forget it now," I slurred and handed him a piece of paper I stole from the secretary's desk.

Jade, the bastard, read it out loud and my stomach did the plummeting thing again, "'I leave my legacy to my son since he will never have one of his own.' Clearly your father was ill-informed about the queer community. We have several options for producing children."

"Clearly my father loved me."

"Clearly since he entrusted you with his child," Jade said lightly and now my heart felt like it was hung over.

"Jade, I'm not in the mood," I grumbled as I tried to playoff me rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand as tiredness. Jade didn't buy it since he plucked a tissue from the desk and handed it to me. "Fine, somewhere, probably kissing the cockles of his heart, my father loved me, but not as good as he could have. I really am upset about what he's shackled me to. I don't miss him. At least not as good as I should."

"I believe you, Peony."

"Patronizing? Sarcasm?" I asked.

"No," Jade said delicately. That's when he kissed me. He turned my face towards him with his hand and our noses bumped as he covered my lips with his.

"Forgive me, my friend. This was not the time to do this. The mistake is mine."

And that's what ran through my head as Natalia looked to me for advice. So now I understood why she kissed me in my office months ago. She was afraid. She was afraid that her father would ask her to take over. Afraid the dream her and her father shared was actually all his. Afraid that if she did take over I would trump her like her father trumped me when we joined forces, so she thought maybe she could make me fall for her. Hysterically she thought if I married her our companies would finally merge into one. Where Malkuth and Lanvaldear's tides met would be smoothed with our union (I still don't fully get the logic, but I get that she was desperate).

So what I did. I put a hand on her shoulder, turned her to face me then took one of her hands in mine. I wrapped my pinkie around hers and grinned as I said, "I promise I'm not going to make your life any more obstructed than I do now. Maybe I'll even put my ass to work a little more often than I do at present. But, Natalia," and I gripped her hand hard and she gasped. I really wanted her to feel me, "you do what you have to. I made my decision long ago so I might as well stick with it. If you want to sing Janis Joplin with the trio in the old house, go ahead. I'm not stopping you, kid."

"Thank you, Peony, but I think I really do want..." she slipped her hand out and turned back to the window. The sun glinted across her eyes, setting fire to her stare, "...to be here."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.:<strong> Peony, people are going to think you've got a drinking problem. But I guess Jade wouldn't be with you if you did. He would probably try to help you, but he wouldn't tether himself to a sinking ship. And Natalia...you're logic's a little off, y'know.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary**

Two years later. Everyone's stayed rooted as trees, right?

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** This story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 6: Two Years Later<strong>

Peony and I flopped heavily on our bed, breathing elevated but decreasing to a healthy rate. We were coated with sweat, but Peony drew the blankets over us; with Yulia's holiday drawing near the weather was chilly and could be felt pressing at the window above our heads.

"That...was a lot of fun," Peony panted and kissed me appreciatively, "Been practicing without me?"

"Don't be absurd. Genius I may be, but what we just did takes two willing parties. The only way I could work that position into masturbation is if I was fantasizing it."

Peony blew hot air on my chest with his laugh, "Well, that killed the happy little bird singing in my heart."

"One of my patients informed me of that particular position. Unfortunately for her, she performed the mathematical equation of stupidity. Drugs plus sex minus a condom divided by not receiving the man's phone number prior to coitus equals genital warts and eight months to delivery without a father."

"And now the happy little bird is shot to hell," Peony said as he kissed me then rolled over to check the clock. "Guess we should get to bed soon. Big day tomorrow and all that jazz."

"Indeed," I replied. I lay back and stared at the ceiling where light flickered in blurry, great dots. Even without my glasses on I could see that the snow still fell in fat flakes. It was rather lulling watching this. Before I lost consciousness I muttered my curiosity out loud, "Do you think they will they be changed greatly?" but Peony was already breathing gently. I too fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Peony and I spent our day off of work preparing. This entailed cleaning for me, mess making in the name of decoration for Peony and cooking for the both of us (truly, I took care of the food preparation while Peony tried not to get in the way). Between dusting the bookcases, vacuuming the rugs and polishing the hardwood, I reminisced on some key events that were stepping stones to our current position.<p>

I though as I took books off the shelf and swept away dust from a nearly a month. The trial had taken awhile, but in the end Mohs was convicted. Tear was the first to bring light to Mohs' monstrous actions and, by the tears and disgusted faces of the jury, I believe he was truly seen as a monster. Asch quickly took up Tear's enlightenment and testified with trembling actions, but determination in his eyes and in his voice. Many others came forward; a lot of them girls from the private school, a handful of them children from the church of St. Lorelei. Maestro Ion's fraction became immensely popular, but he soothed all the followers of their church that Yulia's ideals Mohs upheld in the public light were pure, and to believe in what he said when in the pulpit was just. What Mohs said as a servant of Lorelei and Yulia was wholesome, what he did as a man was contaminated, but the contamination was his alone, something like cancer of the soul. In short, Ion is an eloquent speaker and put a lot of minds and hearts at ease, including Tear.

"Jade! I bought these party popper things," Peony called out to me. He entered the living room with the thing in his hand. "They're supposed to blast confetti. I think they'll be a riot."

"My my, they sound exciting, but if you would wait until after I sweep the floor to test it out."

"That seems a little redundant," Peony said quite truthfully.

"Yes, but it's the thought and back wrenching hours of me scrubbing on all fours that counts," I pointed to the window as I said, "If you really must have your fun, do it out the window."

Peony leered at me.

"What's so funny, Your Majesty?" I asked.

Through a muttered and laughing breath, I heard him say, "...you on all fours..." before he took his immaturity to the window in our kitchen.

I let my pride slip secretly while I smiled.

It was interesting to note how relieved everyone was when the trial came to a close. Perhaps it had something to do with Anise's relief from duty. I would have happily preferred to endure all the I _shall_s in the world over Anise's verbal boot-camp had Luke's head not have been the red bull's-eye that drew most of her fire. Anise is a driven young woman and she wanted her case to run as smoothly as possible. She was there with the lawyers to prep us, walking up and down the table with her hands on her slender hips and the eyes of a hawk in her skull. As Peony rightly put, "Natalia the lioness had nothing on Anise the bulldog". Natalia herself was cooed when Anise told her to keep her mouth closed about Mohs bringing any good to Lanvaldear's company name. Once the trial was over and her rein had ended, she became a bubble of giggles and good intentions.

She saw an opportunity in all this pain, paper, and courtroom weariness. Bulldog Anise reappeared for a moment in the vestibule outside the courtroom where our party was just starting to relax. She ran up to each of the bohemians, grabbing suit coats, wrists and, by standing on the bench most people sagged on, grabbed Luke's lapels to ask her demand. I also received some of her fire, but gave into her demands for my notes taken on the three bohemians since the people of discussion had already submitted to her. I actually thought what she wished to do with the notes was a bright idea.

As I was pushing the couch and chairs into a wider circle so that the dining chairs could be included for our guests' during the visiting part of our get-together, I thought of the last check-up I had given Tear. She was quite excited to show me something that most people wouldn't be. She smiled as she squeezed the area by her hip bone and told me she felt no pain.

The couch I was moving got quite a bit lighter as Peony lifted up the end opposite to me and helped move it a couple feet out.

"Where's your head, Jade?" Peony asked with a grunt as he set the legs upon the floor.

"Lost in memories."

"That's something for you isn't it?"

"Not at all," I said as I readjusted my glasses, "I dwell on many things at many different times of the day. Thinking is something I enjoy."

"Yeah, but you hardly ever get lost," Peony said lightly. I sensed his romantic self on the rise as he walked to my end and put his arms around me. "Those kids changed you. You kept their stories from me all those years ago because you knew you cared. If I knew you cared things would have turned out way different, wouldn't they? I would have wanted to take them in and find their parents. It's hard caring for kids, but trying to look after kids who've been abused, who live day to day on the streets...that's dangerous for the heart."

"Or you could believe what I told you years ago," I said as I shrugged off his embrace to continue preparing our condo for the night.

"What you told me after your Holy Tantrum?" (no doubt Peony was smirking behind my busy back. He knows I'm not fond of that title). Again, his arms were around my neck as he muttered, "Right, the man who claims his adventures were all in the name of curiosity, would have stormed into our condo to shake the ground his mother's heirloom china rested on."

"Speaking of heirlooms, you have to tell Ion the vase is broken. Mrs. Curtiss called two days ago asking whether she could borrow it to show her new Maestro. I talked her out of it when I said Ion would be dining with us the following evening. She sends her regards, by the way, and wonders if our inviting the Maestro over for dinner means that we will be returning to mass."

"Did you tell her hell no?" Peony asked rather soberly for someone obviously joking.

"I told her the next foreseeable date I would attend church freely is the day of my funeral."

Peony laughed and clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to knock my glasses askew. I meant to tell him off, but he had already turned from me to make for the kitchen.

"C'mon. We better get started on the food early so you've got time to fix what I fuck up."

* * *

><p>The table was nicely set up and Peony had dimmed the lights to give the room a warm, inviting cadence. Neither of us dressed as nicely as we would have for one of the many social events we pass off as mundane do to their regularity. We were both in pants and button-down shirts, but omitted ties. There was no knowing what state our guests would arrive in considering the last time we all met in person was over two months ago. Of course we stayed in contact (as Peony fervently insisted), but life was changing. The great force that carries us from tottering to death was moving all of us in previously undiscovered directions. For example, I work solely at the clinic now (which isn't so much undiscovered as it seems. But after I turned down another promotion at the hospital, my seniors, fellow doctors and chattering nurses wondered why. I wasn't stressed and was capable, yet I wanted nothing more. I suppose that was the realization; I wanted nothing more from the hospital. I wondered if I ever really had wanted something from working there. I suppose it seemed like a natural progression, but the cases there weren't what I was interested in. Explaining this to Mother Curtiss was rather amusing. She asked me what was so interesting at a small clinic and I believe I could hear her skin tightening on the other end of the phone as she ballooned with embarrassment. Apparently sexual diseases aren't desirable as co-workers. I suppose it's more the lecturing about touchy subjects that brightens my day at the clinic). I'm sure Peony is also planning something. He receives many more phone calls from Natalia than I note as healthy.<p>

The first to arrive was Natalia. The decisive _click_ing of her heels preceded her actual presence at our door. She passed a bottle of rather expensive ice wine to me and handed her coat off to Peony. Peony and I swapped our burdens (for Peony is not allowed to handle anyone's coat checks since he has yet to realize the purpose of coat hangers and racks). Natalia eyed Peony with hawk's eyes and crossed arms. Her heels _click clack_ed a couple times (Peony gently chuckled in my ear near the kitchen that her tapping heels were like a rattlesnake's tail).

"Peony knows how to handle wine, it's coats and hangers that baffle him," I assured her.

"I don't doubt he knows what to do with wine," she said with a final _click_ before she slipped her heels off. "He's quite _spirited_ at the galas Lanvaldear-Malkuth has hosted."

Peony let out a loud laugh to which Natalia was baffled by. In a semi offended tone she asked, "I don't see how that's amusing, Peony."

"I thought you were making a joke, a pun...spirits..." Peony tried to explain, but the humour of puns failed to reach her. Peony clapped my shoulder as he said, "Jade will explain it to you while I put the wine somewhere cool. You kids have fun."

Surprisingly, the next to arrive were Luke and Ion. I took their coats and nudged Peony in Ion's direction to tell the young Maestro which landfill the Hodian artefact now rested. Natalia roosted near the Maestro and her partner while I ventured to put the coats away.

When I came back from the guest room where the coats were to be stored, Peony was interesting a sad looking Ion in a book of popular Hodian fairytales while fending off Natalia's biting comments about carelessness with civilizations passed artefacts. Luke awkwardly sat on the sofa's arm. When I approached he straightened and gave me a smile that seemed overly bright and more than a little faulty.

"And what trouble have you gotten into now?" I asked him to which he first flinched then scowled.

"No one said anything about trouble," Luke grumbled while lowering his eyes.

"Ah, then perhaps your dubious smile is because you are unconsciously aware sitting on the arm of someone else's couch is uncouth."

"Oh, sorry, Jade," Luke said and slid onto the seat.

"Oh, I couldn't care less. Peony treats them like a seven year old does a jungle gym."

Luke gave me a wry smile and I returned it with good nature. I too sat down, across from him with my arms perched and legs crossed. Politely I asked, "Are you alright, Luke?"

"Yeah, it's just..."

"It's just?" I prompted.

Peony was coaxing Ion to sit on the kitchen island where they could read the fairytales side by side. Both seemed rather excited while Natalia tapped her nylon encased feet on the tiles and watched disapprovingly. Peony soothed her (barely) by being a good host and busying her hands with a glass of wine. He then resettled himself on the island next to Ion and opened the book.

"It's just that I've messed up so many times," Luke finally got out.

"Ah. You've noticed."

He gave me a sneer that thoroughly reminded me of Asch when he was being questioned by the opposition on the witness stand.

"I'm not as self-centred as you guys think I am," Luke said empathically. He pointed a thumb at his chest as he said, "I know when I've done something stupid. I just don't always like admitting it, okay?"

"It's only natural to not want to admit one's mistakes," I said with a slight nod, "but, forgive me, what I meant by my earlier statement is that you've noticed life."

"Huh?"

"Life is often measured by successes, but successes are measured by failures."

Luke stared for a moment before nodding his head slowly. Uncertainly he said, "O-okay..."

"The greatest successes are great because they are rare. They are rare because either few dare to try or because the end results are failures more often than not," I pushed up my glasses and through the lens I saw some of the confusion slip away. The effect was Luke's features were lightened (I think I was beginning to understand what Guy meant by Luke's light. The boy was rather inspiring when cheerful). I continued now that Luke was up to speed, "When you say you've noticed how many mistakes you have made I say that you have noticed life because life is wrought with mistakes. You are doing nothing wrong by making mistakes so long as you learn."

"So...you're saying that mistakes are good if I just don't repeat them?"

Peony and Ion were busy cackling over something in the kitchen while I gave Luke a dignified nod. I believe Natalia moved from her spot by the fridge to peer curiously over Peony's shoulder.

"Yes, that is the main moral. Although, understanding why the mistake was made and how to fix it is also a large part of becoming master over yourself. Also, I must say it is rather adult of you to admit your mistakes. Well, done."

Luke smiled shrewdly as he asked, "Sarcasm?"

"Not even slightly," I put a hand over my heart as I said, "I'm hurt that you would even think so."

"Good, 'cause I was joking," Luke said with a mischievous smile. I was faintly surprised for a moment, but my smirk stayed on my face. "So...the mistakes I'm talking about now have to do with Guy and Tear," Luke said with a loss to the lustre in his eyes. He went suddenly from a man teasing me (a feat few tried) to a boy seemingly shy of eye contact. He still had a ways to go before becoming entirely confident in his self.

"I'm not stupid. I've known for a long time about how Guy felt about me and how Tear feels about me too," he said, sounding a little pained. He picked at his jeans (rather nice ones actually. Either Guy or Tear had a keen eye for Luke wore his clothes to tatters that even cavemen would blush to sport). He looked at the one leg of the couch as he said, "And I know my hesitating only got us more lost. We lived in a crumbling house up until the summer this year and that was mainly my fault. I couldn't tell either of them what I really felt, who I really felt for. I knew I should but it was hard. Both are my friends, no matter what. But I would be letting someone down."

I sat calmly and placidly. I asked, "It _was_ hard?"

"Yeah, it _was_. I did have to do something," Luke said soberly. He rested his chin in his hands and his gaze flicked from my feet to my face. With a rueful smile he said, "No one was really winning. We were doing alright, but we weren't going anywhere. It was good for us, though. We needed a break from reality. Especially when reality is labs, rapists and revenge," Luke scoffed. His smile returned to genuine as he continued, "Guy says those years were our own magic spell, he said the hands kept moving towards midnight. Still," Luke looked wistfully at his feet, "it wasn't easy."

"Usually the most important choices aren't easy, unless you are Peony. Then a great deal of simple choices become cosmic," I said and turned to look at the man reading nursing rhymes on the counter with the Maestro while Natalia set her wine glass down and leaned in further. "He spent an entire week deciding on the colour of bowls he wanted for our condo."

Luke laughed, "Y'know, Guy makes similar jokes about me. It kind of pisses me off."

"Yet you laugh at Peony's expense," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but only because the jokes Guy tells means he's madly in love with me," Luke said with a keen smirk that I can't say I truly enjoyed (I suppose I was the eagle choking on its prey).

I ignored what he said and asked, "Am I to understand that you and Guy-?"

I witnessed Luke's smirk slip away to a sad smile as the bell buzzed and more guests were to be ushered into our condo. Anise arrived first in a sequined top and happily bounded in a whirlwind of glitter past me to tug at Ion's wrinkled suit pants that were probably two sizes too big for him. Anise and Natalia exchanged somewhat terse greetings then Peony invited Anise onto the counter as well. All those years of training to be an undercover cop gave her the ability to leap easily onto the white marble table top. I would have gone back to Luke to finish asking my unsettling questions had the buzzer not rang again. Our conversation would have to be halted (which I truly didn't mind. Suspense doesn't make my blood pressure rise. Besides, I already know the conclusion now that everything is said and done. However, to confuse those who don't know...). Guy and Tear stood in the hallway, Guy with his arms around Tear and Tear using Guy's hand to steady herself as she carefully stepped over the threshold. My curiosity and concern piqued.

"Tear, do you feel pain again in your lower abdomen again?" I asked for she favoured that part of her body and refused to bend, opting to squat awkwardly in her dress to remove her boots. Guy bent to help her while Luke stood next to me with his hands fidgeting.

"You guys okay?" Luke asked.

"What? You don't trust me to get Tear from point A to point B safely?" Guy teased as he removed his and Tear's coats to hand to me.

It was as Guy passed the coats off to me and as Tear said, "I'm fine, Jade. It's actually quite the opposite..." that I noticed the slight bump her black dress couldn't hide.

She gently pushed away Guy's helping hands with a pat and touched smile.

"You're with child," I said, a little surprised that she was, not that she could be (I was quite confident in the prognosis I gave her years ago). By the soft pink visible in the dim lighting on Tears face and the glowing red on Luke's, I was confident in saying, "And Luke sired it."

"_Doctor!_"

"_Jade-!_ Wait, what's sired?" Luke asked.

"You know what, why don't I take the coats for you?" Guy said. He skulked over to me and walked the coats down the hallway.

"Always the gentleman," I remarked as Guy's figure disappeared into the dark corridor.

"Yes, a fine gentleman," Tear said tersely. She clasped her hands and brushed her stomach. A pink glow once again emanated from her complexion.

"We might as well sit down. It seems there is much to discuss and I am thrilled to hear it. Please, come into our living room," I said and lead the two back to the couches. I noticed Luke lock arms with Tear, but somehow the gesture seemed shy. The arms Guy had around Tear as they walked into my dimly lit apartment seemed like the walls of a home whereas Luke's light grip was a swinging gate. I took my chair once again while Luke led Tear to the loveseat. Natalia, who was not nearly as engrossed in the Hodian fairytales now that Anise was monopolizing everyone's attention in their niche, noticed Tear and Luke, and ventured over to us.

"Dr. Balfour, where shall I sit?" she asked me at the arm of my chair.

"Wherever please you," I replied and motioned to the various empty seats.

Tear and Luke had been engaged in quiet whispers that I believe consisted of apologies that were largely negated upon being recieved and murmurs of future promises. Upon Natalia's taking a seat on the couch closest to Tear, the two bohemians ceased their private talk and greeted the former bohemian (by the semi fearful look Luke gave Natalia, I guessed that once upon a hovel she had told him whispering was impolite. By Natalia's semi reproachful glare I believed I stood confirmed).

"Luke you look rather respectable," Natalia complimented.

"Thanks, and your shirt thing looks nice," Luke said, not at all convincingly. He seemed to realize this too for he had while scratching at the back of his head, "The blue of it makes your eyes look greener."

"Thank you, and it's called a blouse," Natalia said and finally turned her attention on Tear. For a moment everyone excluding Natalia tensed (well, I merely watched curiously). I think we were all interested and concerned to see what the blooming business woman would make of a budding, unwed mother. I don't think Natalia even noticed Tear's pregnancy; the thought of another woman her age well on her way to being a mother didn't even compute with her.

"And you, Tear...well, I wish I could fill out a simple dress with so much beauty," Natalia said warmly, "You're practically glowing in this dim lighting."

Tear seemed taken aback and looked away to hide her blush. She smiled as she said, "Thank you, Natalia. You're dressed tastefully and prefect for the occasion as always."

"I know it! Vain it may be, but I missed my heels when I was living with you two and Guy," Natalia laughed. She looked down at her toes wiggling in their nylon net, "It was a nice break though. I think my feet enjoyed touching the floor again. I really must thank you, especially Guy, for allowing me to hide among you. Like..."

"We are friends, Natalia," Tear said brusquely, but certainly not callously. Natalia ceased hesitating and smiled. "You don't need to thank us. We know what it's like to want to hide from things bigger than ourselves," Tear broke off from Natalia and stared at the corridor, presumably at Guy who should be returning from hanging coats.

Guy came to stand at the arm of my chair. He and Natalia exchanged pleasant a greeting before he made to sit next to her on the couch. Tear's abrupt standing bent his pathway as he and Luke sprung to her side.

"Whoa! Don't stand up so fast. The fun and games don't start until after dinner," Guy joked as he rested a hand on her elbow. Genuinely he asked, "Need to go to the bathroom?"

"Guy! That's incredibly _rude_," Natalia said aghast with her hand daintily over her heart and mouth agape.

"No, thank you, Guy," Tear said to him and gently pushed his hand from her arm. She sidestepped him and said as she did so, "I was merely moving so you could have my seat."

Guy looked from Tear to Luke. His face remained stoic while Luke blushed and shrugged all stares away. Finally he turned to Tear and said, "That's not necessary or as important as your comfort."

I watched the three bohemians. Natalia watched as well, utterly confused as to the hidden words behind what was being said.

"Tear, c'mon, please sit back down," Guy said with a nod towards Luke standing awkwardly before the loveseat.

"I will sit, next to Natalia," Tear replied and moved to take a seat next to the young woman looking up with a bit of worry at her friend. Guy reached for Tear's arm, but was stopped by Luke's hand on his.

"Hey, let her do what she wants," Luke said. When Guy just stared, Luke rolled his shoulders and gave the other man's arm a tug towards the loveseat. Guy seemed like he would protest while Tear crouched to take her seat. Luke cut in, "She's fine."

All eyes turned from Luke to my quiet seat in the shadows. Quite clearly, I resonated what Luke said. "She is fine."

Tear settled comfortably into the couch and Luke pulled himself and Guy down. Natalia sat, for once like prey on the lookout instead of predator on the prowl, surveying the bohemians as they nested.

She regained herself and turned on Luke with the coal in her eyes waiting to be lit, "Did you hurt Tear again?"

"No, I didn't," he said defensively. With a sharp look from Tear he added, "And we decided that it wasn't my fault the last time I hurt her – I mean, I didn't-"

"That sounds wholly unconvincing," Natalia said, tapping her foot on the hardwood with a skin muffled _thwup_.

"Luke has done nothing wrong and he has never hurt me," Tear spoke up from the other end of the couch. She and Luke shared a look. He smiled waveringly at her and she blinked back at him encouragingly. Luke made Guy jump a bit when he took up Guy's hand in his own.

Natalia's foot stopped tapping and, had she had hackles, it would be likely they were lowing.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, that was rather rude of me," she apologized, turning to Luke on her right and Tear on her left.

"It's cool, Natalia," Luke shrugged. I watched him toss his arm casually over Guy's shoulders. I was surprised how our hopeless romantic seemed unsettled by Luke's affection (something interesting definitely happened between the bohemians and, despite two of them being parents to be, Guy was the most out of sorts). Guy clapped Luke's thigh, but swerved out from Luke's embrace when I mentioned that dinner would be served soon. Guy made for the kitchen to help Peony with the final preparations.

Luke and Tear gave each other sad stares. Natalia's gaze flickered from Guy back to the two in our presence; she too had noticed the estrangement in the trio. She sat stately with her legs crossed and head back, watching Guy's retreat.

"He seems a bit off tonight," Natalia remarked.

Neither Luke nor Tear seemed interested in commenting so I spoke, "Why don't we seat ourselves at the table. I'll bring around the wine. Tear, if you would come with me. You're choosy with your choice of drink so it will just be easier if you see what we have in stock."

Luke and Natalia went off to the dining area. I was fully confident that Natalia understood the mechanics of seating arrangements at a dinner party and amused enough to smirk at how unnecessary it would be for her to badger Luke about standard seating plans at such an informal event. I led Tear to the small pantry and opened the cupboard door. Before I had even turned about she spoke her suspicions.

"You want to know about the baby," she said in a low voice so as not to arouse Peony and Guy at the oven or Ion and Anise still on the island's counter.

"Yes, but first things first; would you drink sparkling cider?" I asked as I drew a bottle from a rack in the pantry.

"That's fine," she nodded and took the bottle from me to place on the counter. I was shifted a little by the firmness of her stare. (Tear has very beautiful blue eyes and I can't help associating them with water. When we were standing at the pantry I thought of them as lake's water. When she was gripping my hand before her impromptu operation, I thought of them as rain. If her gaze remained as steady as the lake water for the next twenty years of her life, she would make an excellent mother). "Jade, Dr. Balfour, I suppose..." her resolve wavered and she looked down as she asked, "Do you, in your professional opinion, think that...we will be okay?" and she rested her hand lightly on her abdomen.

"I don't mean to sound overconfident, but I know my handiwork, and I have more than faith in what I do," I said in my best bedside manner. I pushed up my glasses and smirked as I said, "You and your child have equal amounts of success as a woman of Natalia's breed when it comes to birth. I dare say you have a greater chance of success or perhaps a less painful one considering Natalia is quite lean in the hips," Tear blushed a little and bashfully looked down at her stocking covered feet. I touched her arm briefly and she looked up (as did His Majesty the Royal Pain at that exact moment). "I say all this because I think you ought to be worrying like mother's who don't think about complications of birthing and instead about troubles rearing. You should be asking those questions favoured by soap opera mothers; will you make a good mother? How do you know that you're raising it right before it's already raised? Will it find eternal happiness? I dare say characters in those shows never do find eternal happiness no matter how much they rant on about it."

Tear chuckled and admitted, "I _have_ been asking myself those questions, but I know there is no easy answer. The best I can do is try and remember what I loved the most about my childhood."

"Indeed," I said with a commending nod. As I led her to the table (Peony and Guy both watching us. Guy worried looking and Peony overtly suspicious with his craning) I added over my shoulder, "I don't personally spend my free hours watching soap operas, but Peony seems to enjoy them enough to record them while he's away at work."

* * *

><p>Dinner went smoothly enough. The ham was only slightly singed on the bottom and Peony hadn't boiled any of the vegetables to mush (I was very proud of him and let him know. Unfortunately, the table seemed to come to a consensus that I was being patronizing and mean spirited. I was better chewed than the bread that was a little too crusty. It must have been the wine in Peony's system that kept his tongue from telling the table I was actually capable of a compliment).<p>

Tear's pregnancy did come up about part way through dinner. Ion offered to refill everyone's glasses and mistook Natalia's apple ice wine for the cider Tear was drinking. Tear herself didn't even notice until I gently put a hand over her glass and Ion poured the rather expensive wine over my hand. Ion apologized for mistaking my cup for Tear's, but I told him the fault was mine. The glass was in fact Tear's but the drink would not be hers. Natalia, naturally, protested, saying that Tear really ought to try ice wine. Guy and I were quite adamant she shouldn't while Tear murmured likewise. Natalia gave Guy and I a glowering look for a moment before Anise flumped her elbow on the table and said with a sigh, "Luke, you got Tear prego, didn't you?"

There was nothing but the admission of the truth after a statement as accurate as that. Natalia was stumped and jumped to Tear's defence until the young mother to be affirmed what Anise said. Immediately after, Ion was happily clapping and Peony was laughing and winking at Luke who was attempting to burn a hole through my beautiful table with his cheeks. Tear was blushing too, but she became stumped when Ion asked if she would allow him to be the minister for her child when it went through its first rituals at St. Lorelei's.

"Maestro, I would be happy to have you do so, but," and again she blushed, "but, you realize that I'm unwed. Stricter Maestros wouldn't want to-"

"Tear, this is _Ion_ we're talking about," Anise said a little thickly (I believe she was no closer to sobriety than Guy or Peony are to heterosexuality). She laughed as she said with a finger pointing from Guy to Luke, "I've been trying to get these two wed by him for years now. Ion'll do it, but they won't. Sad 'cause it would be a perfect ending."

Luke rolled his eyes and pushed peas around his plate, but was a great deal less troubled by Anise's mutterings than he was by being called baby-daddy by her. Guy had taken up Luke's wish to be out of sight as he hid his face behind his hand, but was stoic enough not to slump on the table.

"Anise, I know you're an upstanding lady, but have you ever heard of a shotgun wedding?" Peony asked her (also not rubbing elbows with sobriety). I said his name in a rather undermining way and he dropped the subject, if only for a few brief moments. He stage whispered to Anise, "Don't try the shotgun on Jade. He can freeze your soul with his indignation. He's like Medusa, only more of a snake. Ask our old friend Dist, he'll tell you."

Eventually the banter, talk of shotguns, weddings and baptisms subsided. When it did, Natalia turned to Tear, stuck out her hand and said, "Congratulations, Tear. I'm sure you will make an excellent mother."

Tear smiled as she shook the other woman's hand and said with equal amounts of professionalism, "Thank you, Natalia. I shall try to be."

Peony kicked me under the table and whispered to me, "Hear that? Tear said _shall_."

I let out a sigh through my nose that sent Peony giggling while Anise tugged at his sleeve trying to get him to explain why 'shall' was so funny.

There wasn't much else noteworthy to dinner other than the vast and surprising amounts of alcohol Anise could consume without making herself ill. When dinner was done most of us moved to the living room to sit and chat. The talk was pleasant, though a bit idle due to various variables of wine, rich food and comfortable sitting spaces. Peony was sobering up again around the time Guy offered to run down to his car and retrieve his guitar for our amusement. Peony immediately jumped on this idea and I too was excited to hear the bohemians sing once again.

Natalia and Ion were in discussion over Ion taking Mohs' place as advocate for Lanvaldear-Malkuth while Anise took up three quarters of the couch by lounging on it. Peony was actually making himself useful by tidying up the dining room while waiting for Guy to return. Tear was telling Luke that he really should sing, but Luke was hesitant. She asked him to do it for the baby so it would know his voice. Luke blushed and asked her in a murmur if she really thought that was a good idea. I was surprised that Tear turned to me for my input.

"Of course it's a good idea," she said to him then turned to me. "Jade, Luke told me that you said he has grown since we last talked. This is true, isn't it?"

"It is true, however, the difference between being a little bit wiser and a good parent is quite different. Luke is at the level where he can take care of himself effectively, but I wouldn't entrust him with anything less important than a goldfish for safe keeping. With that being said," I continued with more seriousness, "There is no reason you should not try to help Tear. Both you and the child will have years to grow and learn. Starting at the beginning is an excellent first step."

"You just want to make fun of my horrible singing," Luke said with a wry grin at me. He slumped back in his chair and muttered to the ceiling, "Besides, Guy said he would take over the dad duties."

Tear sighed, a little annoyed by Luke's (feigned, in my opinion) disinterest and lack of responsibility. (I suspected that Luke was even less confident in his parenting abilities than Tear was in her own. He was, after all, aware of how many lives he had already influenced and how his mistakes had slowed their courses).

It was truly no matter of mine, but I sat up a bit more and said to both young adults, "There is an old Hod adage that says it takes a clan to raise a child. Why not apply that saying here? The three of you took care of one another together for years."

"Right," Luke groaned. His frown deepened as, likely, he was recalling the odd love triangle he had put his friends in.

"I am being genuine," I said and Luke sat up in his seat. I held his uncertain gaze as I said, "The three of you, though suffering more than the average self-loathing teenagers of this century, managed to keep each other safe in a difficult part of a difficult city. Tear, where would you be if Luke hadn't found you years ago? Luke, where would you be if Noir's family hadn't taken you in? Based on the evidence I see before me, I can conclude that, at least for the three of you, raising anything together would be in the best interest for all of you."

Tear and Luke shared a look and neither seemed to find a flaw in my argument. I don't know what drove me to inquire, perhaps simple curiosity, but I inquired nonetheless.

"Now, I wanted to ask the three of you what your situations are currently like. Are you still living in the same derelict house?"

"Oh, no," Luke said emphatically to which Tear nodded heartily.

"We moved out of Guy's old house a long time ago. At the beginning of last summer," Tear answered, "It really was becoming uninhabitable. The last two winters were particularly harsh and we weren't kind to the house. Guy said there was no point in patching up something that far gone unless we renovated everything. It's a shame, old houses really are beautiful if you take care of them."

"Yeah, I guess we forgot to tell you with everything going on," Luke said a little shyly. He scratched at his nose and looked out the corner of his eye as he said, "I think I told you that I made my decision last summer."

Tear _hmm_ed and closed her eyes. From the corner of his mouth, Luke murmured, "Sorry," to her. Tear's eyes snapped open only to narrow at Luke. It was interesting how she went from meditation to fury, quite literally with the blink of an eye.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she snapped a little wearily and drew the others' attention. In a lower tone and from the side of her mouth she muttered, "And Guy should know that too. He's been-"

Guy returned to the condo after the buzz of the intercom and our conversation died. He had his guitar in hand and asked Anise to scoot over so he could sit on the couch too. He took requests, but a good deal of suggestions from Ion were choir songs that Guy hadn't heard in years or songs that were likely playing at clubs all over the city when Anise offered her choices. He laughed that he hadn't been to a club in a long time; he said he hadn't needed to and stole a glance at Luke. He bent his head away and his fingers picked a couple notes that began to sound like a melody. Tear moved from her spot next to Luke to perch on the couch with Guy and Anise. Anise was curled up on the opposite end watching Guy play with dopey eyes and the others also turned their undivided attention on him. Guy continued strumming his yet to be identified melody, one that sounded rather sombre. Too sombre for Anise's lips began to droop in a frown and she was rubbing her eyes as if tired. Tear laid a hand on Guy's leg to let him know something they must have discussed long ago for the touch to mean. His strumming slowed and Tear opened her mouth.

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>When Tear sings is the only time I truly believe Yulia existed. If it makes sense to say so, she sounds like how I image the thirty foot tall, stone statues of Yulia should sound. And she puts all kinds of weather in her voice; she can rasp like its arid out or drawl out a note long enough to span a night and end it with the stars bursting into life. Her voice won't be wasted either. I don't put much stock in religion, but I get why people do and, for people like Tear and Ion, it's a noble cause.<p>

After digging into three or four stories concerning magic swords that talked, cheagles, gigantic monsters and questing individuals, Ion, Anise and I talked. I (before Jade, I just want you to note, circle, and highlight) found out that the trio had split. Ion and Anise didn't say why, in fact they didn't know. Not about Tear's pregnancy, not about Guy and Luke getting together officially and certainly not how and why the split up happened. What Ion did know was that Tear was looking for a job with the church. She didn't expect to be paid much and she admitted she needed to finish high school, but she wanted to be there. Naive and a damn good man for being who he is, Ion didn't hesitate. He pulled her in to be the choir instructor and apparently it was the best thing for the church. People would come to hear her sing if for nothing else. She was also pretty adept at playing the organ, though needed a lot of practice to get back to where she had been. Ion called her amazing after every performance (and to prove that he's not just being Ion and over complimenting people, Mrs. Curtiss, the cold carved woman, nearly uttered poetry about her over the phone. She said Tear seemed to give the statues of Yulia a fleshy hue whenever she sang). Ion said that he would also help fund Tear so that she could finish school and continue on to be a teacher at the reformed private school. He also gave her quarter at Jue's Path in a small cottage that was originally the stable master's house way way back in the day.

I was surprised to hear she was pregnant, but once that was doused I didn't really think on it. I knew she was meant to be a mom (hell, the way she treated Luke half the time was like a parent. Funny thing is, I don't think he minded). The only thing I worried about was Tear having enough money, but what are friends for? I bet Jade would happily squander the money Mrs. Curtiss gives him for holidays and birthdays on paying for an young, unwed mother and her child(ren) (hey, you never know. Luke and Asch were twins so she just might have two, then Jade and I probably really would rain gold on her).

Listening to the trio's first song (and hearing something mend in their relationship, I'm sure) was both soothing and energized. Even Natalia laid her head on the arm of the couch like a lion snoozing in the sun. Man, never have I wanted to cry so bad when listening to Bohemian Rhapsody.

* * *

><p>-Jade-<p>

* * *

><p>(Now that Peony has drowned you in his love for the arts, I bring you the last knots to bind all our adventures together)<p>

The trio sang a multitude of songs, all of them old by the young's standard. Tear did get Luke to sing halfway through the first song. In fact, by the climax everyone sang along. Some more emphatically than others (Peony and Anise). Most of the songs were upbeat and, if not upbeat, then loud. More than once, Anise pulled each of the boys in turn to their feet to dance (me being the only exception to her plot, though not for a lack of trying but for a lack of muscle on her part and a lack of fear on my part. However, Peony does have muscles and a problem with personal space. Anise may not have got her dance with me, but she seemed quite thrilled to see Peony have his). Eventually Guy's fingers got tired, Tear's voice softer and the night older. The singing stopped completely when Guy nudged Tear and pointed with his guitar to Anise and Ion sleeping on the rug near their feet. Peony too was quiet tired for he hummed a tune from six songs back while pulling me, degradingly, further and further onto his lap (there would be hell to pay for that in a few days, but for then I allowed him to daydream that I wanted nothing more than to be held and petted by him). As I righted my glasses for the third time, I noticed Guy staring tiredly at Peony and I. He quickly turned to Tear and asked her if she was tired and wanted a ride home soon.

Tear sighed, saw Luke's shoulders falling, and said in a strict murmur, "Guy, we've all had our fair share of talks over these past few months. It's time that we let things in the past lie and new things run. Luke and I had a talk tonight. We're on a mutual ground."

"I'm not sure I get it..." Guy said as he turned away to pack his guitar in its case. He was stopped by Luke putting his foot on the lid. Guy paused and said laughingly, "You know, I love my cases almost as much as my instruments. Might want to wash your feet before you do that, buddy."

"Buddy? Man, have you checked out," Luke said with his arms crossed and a grim grin on his lips. "That's probably the least mushy pet-name you've called me."

"Luke, man, it's not a pet-name. It's a friendly attempt to get you off my case."

"Guy, will you listen to what I have to say? Please?" Tear encouraged with a hand on the crook of his arm. Guy turned away from Luke and gave all his attention to the woman carrying his boyfriend's child. He took her hand in two of his and Luke sat back down on the seat next to Guy. Tear spoke in a warm, albeit strict tone of voice. "I'm not angry and I'm not hurt."

"I know, you're too good for that," Guy murmured and kissed Tear's hand. Luke huffed behind Guy's back.

"I left the old house because it was time. Luke had known for a while where he wanted to be. It just took a while for the truth to come out," Tear took back her hand from Guy and placed them neatly on her lap before her stomach. In a chastising tone she said, "You and I had an agreement. No matter who Luke decided on, we wouldn't take out anything on one another. I'm not mad and I'm not hurt. I'm happy," she said and her eyes became quite bright. She chuckled as she said, "It may not look like it right now, but I swear to Yulia I am. I'm going to have a baby. And I'll have two people I love and who love me to help. Four years ago I dreamed of less than this. I just wanted to be safe in my own company. I prefer this kind of love; it's...innocent."

"Not that, y'know, _we_'re lost in sin or anything," Luke added as he rifled through Guy's case to select one of Guy's many spare picks off its bottom.

"Right," Tear agreed. She had Guy steady in her gaze as she declared, "You should be happy too. Happy with Luke whether I'm present or not."

"Dude, what's going on?" Peony whispered in my.

"Release me," I commanded.

"Nah, don't think so."

Natalia cleared her throat from her seat across the room, gaining all's attention with the exception of Anise and Ion who slumbered on.

"Um, I'm sorry, but is it to be understood that the three of you...you're no longer living together?" Natalia asked.

"No, we're not," Tear replied, "I'm living on the grounds of my former boarding school for now, but once I've saved enough I'll find a place of my own. Maybe in the city or maybe in a smaller surrounding one."

"Me and Guy, we've got our own apartment in a slightly better part of the city," Luke added. He punched Guy's shoulder as he asked, "Right?"

Guy hesitated, but a warm and slightly threatening smile from Tear pushed him on. He put his arm around Luke's shoulders and kissed the side of his face. "Right," he murmured against Luke's rouging neck.

"You don't have to lay it on so thick either," Luke grunted (I found it reminiscent of Peony how Guy answered his boyfriend's discomfort with much hair-ruffling and squeezing).

Natalia dissipated the boys' loving moments by twining her fingers and saying thoughtfully, "I'm stilled confused. Tear, when did you find out you were with child?"

"Around the start of July," she answered.

"And you moved out?"

"Near the end of July."

There was very little time between the end of Tear's answer and the attack of Luke. Natalia whipped her head around and Luke remained in his seat solely because Guy's arms had been around him. "You forced a pregnant woman out of your house and out of your life? How selfish _are_ you, Luke?"

"Have you noticed when Natalia yells you can see she's got fangs all the way back to her molars?" Peony whispered in my ear. I smiled and asked him if he would mind repeating that a little louder on account of my old ears not being what they used to be. He refused.

"I didn't ask her to leave, okay?" Luke snapped back as he pressed his spine further into the leather of our couch. "She left on her own-"

"Of _course_ she would with you two pushing her out," Natalia growled.

Guy got his back up with a weak, indignant "Hey" while Tear attempted to interject by resting a hand on Natalia's only to have it swiftly taken up by the fierce young woman hand.

"You can see she's also got nails like a badger."

Tear spluttered, "Natalia, it wasn't like that. I-"

"You poor thing, being discarded by Luke while carrying his child. And to have Guy gloating his triumph. No wonder you felt you had to leave."

"She probably left because they were going at it too much," Anise yawned as she sat up, eliciting hearty laughs from Peony and myself. Everyone else blushed, with the exception of Ion slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position. Natalia's rampage was stopped like a rhinoceros and a brick wall. She did splutter a bit while Anise carried on a little tiredly, a little drunkenly, "Tear's too upright. If it had been me, I would have stuck right by the bedroom door."

"I'm so sorry, I fell asleep," Ion said as he yawned and rubbed his eyes. Brightly he asked, "What's the topic of discussion at the moment?"

"I was just correcting Natalia," Tear hopped in rather quickly while the rest of the party were on their backs recovering from Anise, "I left because it was time. Luke and Guy needed to start their lives together and I needed to start mine with my child. I didn't even tell Luke until after I had moved out. Had I told them my suspicions before they wouldn't have let me leave. It was time."

"I can understand that," Ion said with a nod, "I had this creeping plant given to me by one of the church's members, but it got too big for its pot, so I cut off part of it and planted it in another pot. Only, both parts are turning yellow now."

"Because you separated them? Geez, Ion, that's not a comforting moral," Anise huffed and crossed her arms.

"Oh, no," Ion replied, "It's because I left them in the dark. I forgot my office doesn't get much light in the winter months."

"Well, that all sounds fine and dandy. Erm, except for your plant, Ion," Peony declared and made my ear ring as he clapped loudly. "Who wants a nightcap?"

"I would prefer Guy to get down on his knees and ask Luke for his hand in marriage," Anise announced as she got to her feet and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't put ideas in his head," Luke groaned into his hands as Guy smilingly rubbed his back.

"Anise, you can't force love," Ion reprimanded. He turned to Guy and said cheerfully, "Though if you are considering marriage I would be happy to perform it."

"Why are you being so assertive concerning their relationship? Am I missing something?" Natalia asked the room at large.

"Well, duh, it would be the perfect ending," Anise said, smacking her head and making a crude face at Natalia (which Peony chuckled so maturely at).

"Perfect ending?" Natalia mused.

"Remember what I said in the courthouse?" Anise asked while she stretched out her limbs as if her brief rest had prepared her for running home, "I asked Jade for all his notes on you three," she said while gesturing to the once bohemians, "and for his and Peony's commentary. I'm going to churn out a story based on what's happened with all of us. I'm quite the talented writer; I've been writing fanfiction for years," she declared a little too proudly (I believe).

"Yes, I suppose I do vaguely remember that now," Natalia said as she furrowed her brows and thought back to the memories of Anise bearing down on the lot of us for permission.

"Give us a couple months to churn out the perfect ending, okay?" Guy bargained.

"How 'bout years?" Luke muttered to his knees. Guy continued to smile and rub Luke's shoulders.

"I can't wait! I was going to write the epilogue based on tonight," Anise sighed and sagged on the spot, "but now you guys have gone and gotten everything more complicated than it needs to be. How am I supposed to get our audience to root for Guy/Luke when you've knocked Tear up?"

I don't believe anyone had an answer for such a bazaar statement as that, so I offered, "Why don't you just write the truth? Allow for some controversy among your readers. I find touchy topics fascinating."

"It's true," Peony said in my defence. He hitched his arm tighter around my shoulders and prodded a thumb under my nose as he said, "It's the reason why he decided to stay at the clinic."

Anise sighed resignedly as she muttered, "Oh, fine. I'll just do it your way. It needs to get to the publisher in a few days anyway."

"Few days? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't a manuscript need to be edited and polished thoroughly before it's even thought of to be printed?" I inquired.

"Yeah, but having a gun does wonders," Anise replied with a wink, "That and I've already had the rest looked over. It also doesn't hurt that I've got an in with the company and he's been passing everything through like he's been flying through the manuscript. Or maybe just not reading it," Anise smirked as she turned her grin on Peony.

"Oh, damn," Peony said rather anticlimactically and his grip slacked enough on me that I could look dignified when I leered at him. "So that's my job, huh?"

* * *

><p>After Natalia had her five to ten minute tirade on poor work performance and inattention with my boyfriend in the dark corner of the room, the party began to dissolve.<p>

Ion was the first to leave and Anise went with him only because he didn't want her walking home alone and tipsy. She reminded him quite loudly with piping lungs that she was an officer of the law and would "smite any bastard who dared even give her a once over". Ion said that was one of his more probable concerns. Around the same time, Guy offered Tear a ride home which she accepted. It seemed the storm followed the rain and Natalia too declared her need to leave so she could be up early to do damage control on Peony's behalf.

Anise (persistent though not entirely savvy with reading people's emotional tides) once again egged Guy on to propose to Luke as he laced his boots by the door.

"Anise, we're still sorting out our lives. Give us a moment to say breathe first," Guy patiently replied while Luke's patience wore thinner and thinner. He viciously shoved his foot into his worn looking sneakers. He flopped against the door and waited for Tear and Guy to wrap themselves in a multitude of woollen layers. Guy shot Luke an apologetic look and gave his shoelace a final tug. "I don't think either of us is quite ready for that."

"What I don't get is why Guy's the only one who gets to propose," Luke snorted, drawing many amused eyes his way. He rounded on Anise, "Why don't you ask me if _I_'m gonna propose? Why is it only Guy? I'm a man too."

"You?" Anise mused disbelievingly. She smirked as she said, "I've always thought of Guy as the giving one."

Guy bent to lace his shoe despite them being more firmly secured than Luke's. He gave up that pretence and simply covered his mouth with his hand when Luke exclaimed angrily. He still let ot a laugh but it was covered by the argument going on above him.

"Hey, I give!" Luke barked.

In the meanwhile, Tear, Ion and I were exchanging well-wishes, though I suspect Tear had one ear in Anise and Luke's conversation; her cheeks were reddening with Anise's insinuation that Luke was clearing oblivious to. I too cast an ear when His Majesty entered their tongue-in-cheek argument to diffuse the situation. Surprisingly, he actually did (though in his own way). He looped each party member in either of his arms.

"Luke, I don't doubt you're the giving type. Am I right Guy?" to which Guy hunched his shoulders and chuckled a little awkwardly. Peony chided, "Sucks to be you man for not stuffing lingo and dirty jokes into his head; you're paying for it now. And Anise, sweetie, let the boy's get a couple years' experience under their belts. They haven't even found a routine for bitching about whose turn it is to do the dishes. Good love is like good wine; you've gotta let it age first."

"How eloquent," Tear appraised.

"To be fair he had a great deal of inspiration for that poetic tidbit tonight," I commented, but Anise and Luke did deescalate.

Peony clapped each on the back and it was as he was walking away that Anise voiced her other heart of heart desires.

"That was eloquent; eloquent enough to recite in your own wedding vows," Anise giggled. It was quite fascinating how the eyes of the room moved like those of fans at a tennis match. Peony met my less than amused gaze and said "Nah," just as I uttered, "No."

"But you've been together for practically forever," she goaded. I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose and kept pressing.

Peony chuckled a little awkwardly as he once again applied his skills as diffuser, "Yeah, compared to you guys we're older than dirt, and I do love the Ice Queen, but marriage," he regarded my migraine afflicted look and quickly curtailed, "nah, it's so not us."

"Ice Queen?" Luke snickered.

"Oh, boo on all of you!" Anise proclaimed and wrapped her scarf ferociously around her neck. "May Yulia read your score well!" she wished vehemently and stormed out of our condo.

There was some laughter, but even the least religious wished a good score upon the others for the holiday. The rest left quietly.

Peony and I stood alone in the dim lighting of our condo before the closed door. After a moment of silence we turned to survey one another. He searched my face and I pressed the bridge of my glasses higher up.

"Nope," he said and turned his back on me to retreat down the hall, "it's so not us."

(I heartily agree).

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.:<strong> Everyone's stories seem scattered again, but maybe they're okay with this. Maybe there's not just one straight road for life, love, and friendship. Epilogue next upload, erm, either today or tomorrow. Usually I upload the epilogue with the last chapter, but today I have a life and the weather is beautiful!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary**

Jade and Peony wrap up their (and Guy's and Luke's and Tear's) tales with loose ends.

**Couple of Notes for Info/Easier Reading:**

**1)** **Disclaimer:** The characters are all Tales and hopefully they're all relatively in character. Song references are not mine and belong to Extreme, Rise Against, Bon Jovi, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and Queen (gotta love the oldies!). The setting is also based loosely (very loosely) on Toronto and the weather is based on what Canadian weather was like ten years ago (maybe it was because I was shorter, but I swear the drifts were bigger when I was in grade-school).

**2)** When something's in brackets it's commentary of the narrator (i.e. Jade/Peony/Luke) ***not me*,** just like in the summary outside of this fic. I'm not a fan of the author inserting hm/herself into a story, even as an omniscient voice. I'm just trying something different and hopefully it doesn't upset the flow too much (maybe you can let me know if it's good or would be better without it?)..

**3)** This story jumps around quite a bit as far as time-lines and narrators go.

**4) DONE!** :D Had a life with a good friend today and will raise my glass to you guys in the ether of the internet.

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><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Peony and I were given the privilege of writing the epilogue for the novel Anise worked on. I think it is important to note that Natalia and her decisive heels stormed Lanvaldear-Malkuth and halted production of Anise's original manuscript. She had Peony and I sit down to edit parts, for, should this be a tale publicized as being mostly autobiographical, the facts should be relatively sound. What Natalia failed to tell us or perhaps it was her own form of retribution on Peony's laisser-faire attitude, was about certain passages that made their way into the publication that I certainly never wrote nor read over. What has been printed will never truly die if we attempt to bury it, and Guy and Luke are just as much affected, so I digress...

I continued on at the clinic, diagnosing STIs, prescribing antibiotics and announcing pregnancies, for the most part. One day I had a rare case that I would have liked to close my door on, but with the many onlookers in the waiting room, I had little choice than to usher the former bohemians into one of the rooms where Tear gave birth to a set of twins. They were certainly healthy for they came out screaming; the boy was louder than the girl in that department. Luke didn't see his offspring for the first few minutes as he was standing near Tear's head with his hands clawing at his temple.

"Luke, man, get a grip of yourself," Guy reprimanded, looking a little pale in the cheeks as he took his hand from Tear's grasp. He massaged the blood back into his hand as he scolded, "Tear's the one who's been in the most pain. Take it like a man."

"You don't understand," Luke griped as he concentrated on pressing at the side of his head, "It's echoing in my head – ah! A-Asch? What's he-?"

Luke fell to his knees and Guy nearly leapt the table Tear was sprawled on to reach him.

"Luke! Luke!" Guy called, slapping Luke's cheeks as he did so. I watched mildly as the receptionist who had once helped birth an animal on a remote mountainside in her days of travel, aided me in cleaning the wailing twins in the small sink.

"Asch is in my head and he's yelling at me!" Luke bellowed and the babies only cried louder. Luke winced. "Stop yelling, man! Yes, those are babies," Luke muttered seemingly to himself.

"He's taken this rather badly," the receptionist regarded mildly as she eyed Luke with vague amusement.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind him. With familiar connections like his he's bound to be a like sick in the head from time to time. Bundle her, would you?" I asked as I passed the first twin off to the receptionist and moved to place the other swathed child in Tear's weary, but wanting arms.

"It's not like I took a random stroll through the nursery – I don't even visit the hospital – yeah! It freaks me out too, that's the one thing we have in common," Luke grated. Guy crouched next to him with his hand soothingly on Luke's shoulder. The new father that everyone watched suspiciously, barked, "No! It's not my wife – I like men, well, for the most part – would you just shut up? They _are_ my kids."

The twins began to deescalate; their screeches went to coos and eventually they were silent. Luke too seemed a little less afflicted as he sat against the wall with his hands lowered.

"Yeah, you're an uncle – but there's no way in helllllllo – in heck that you're going to meet them anytime soon," Luke said to his brother who was elsewhere in the city. Luke made an exasperated gesture to the thin air before him as he explained sourly, "Because you're kind of a slu – you're not clean. I _am_ watching my language because I'm worried they can hear us. Yeah, it echoed in my head and you obviously heard them since you're bitc – whining at me. Wait, no, you can't just – okay, you need to teach me that –HEY! Bastard..." Luke muttered under his breath.

"Luke?" Tear called tiredly. When she found it difficult to lift her head higher than an inch off her pillow she turned to me and asked, "Who's he talking to? Guy?"

"Who indeed," the receptionist mused as she handed the little girl over to her mother.

"Thank you, Judith, and I think I'll be fine on my own now," I said to her.

"No problem," she replied and showed herself out of the office after giving Luke a curious look.

Once the receptionist had left, I answered Tear, "I believe Luke was recently chatting with his brother."

"Oh? That's strange," she remarked tiredly. I took the girl from her (she really should have gone to the hospital, but old habits die hard).

"Rest, Tear. You have many years ahead of you to discuss how strange Luke and his relations are."

Tear obeyed after carefully tucking her son against her. I walked over to Guy and Luke who were moving to stand. I offered the girl to Luke who was taken aback at first, but, with awkward hands, learned how to hold his daughter.

"Thanks, Jade. You're really good at holding babies," he muttered nervously.

"What did your brother who currently is experiencing a venereal infection have to say?"

"He could hear the babies screaming from whosever house he spent the night at," Luke grumbled while Guy rested his chin on Luke's shoulder to look down on Luke's daughter wonderingly. "And he said for a while he could hear garbled nonsense every now and again, but he thought it was just me when I – uh – when Guy and I..."

"Orgasm, but that's not the case, is it?" I asked and slipped my hands into my pockets. "You likely heard the same garbled nonsense too."

"Yeah, but like Asch I thought it was just..."

"Sex noises."

"Do you have to say things like that? In front of my kid?" Luke added as if that would change my frank nature.

"Your daughter is asleep and I dare say a bit too new to comprehend language. Support her head a bit more," I instructed, but Luke was flustered from the delivery, Asch's intrusion and the sudden weight of fatherhood.

"I don't know what I'm doing," he muttered self-pityingly and let his arms sag further.

I sighed exasperatedly while Guy moved behind Luke to shadow him. He grabbed a hold of Luke's arms to puppeteer and aid Luke in supporting her. Together their pair of arms created a safe nest for her.

"I'd say you're doing fine," Guy murmured.

"Only 'cause you're here," Luke muttered to his chest and Guy kissed the back of his neck (Peony would have written a ballad about this had he been there).

"And I think my medical jargon is a great deal less offensive than the adulterate monologues of your brother the children may have to endure," I warned the happy couple.

"That's what we were arguing about before he got lost," Luke piped up, "He said he had worked out a way long ago to block my voice out of his head. He said he was going to use that skill now to block out the babies' screaming and gurgling. I wanted him to tell me how. Man, baby talk is going to be ten times as annoying as anything my brother has to say to me."

"Can you hear them now?" Guy asked enthusiastically.

"Not her, but him," Luke said with a nod to the boy wriggling against his sleeping mother. "It's just nonsense though. It's like a warm, kind of pigeon noise and mmmmming..."

Luke went silent as Guy lovingly kissed him all the more.

"I'll let the happy parents be. Oh, don't move, Guy, I wasn't calling you out of the room," I said as the hopeless romantic made to detract himself from the very uncertain father. "It's probably best that you remain in the room when Tear is exhausted and Luke is the only physically able adult. Besides, I'm sure Tear would agree you are as much a parental figure as Luke. Have fun with parenthood."

* * *

><p>~Peony~<p>

* * *

><p>Jade's a lucky bastard, but all he talks about is how great a dilemma it was to deliver the twins (I wish I had been there to see the happy new family in its buds). He's gracious enough to let me deliver (ha ha! A pun. I love 'em) the final lines.<p>

So there was Luke, Guy, and Tear learning how to be good parents (and I agree with Jade; Guy's just as much a part of those babies' lives. Tear agrees too and Luke would crap his pants more than the twins if he thought Guy was going to butt out on parenthood). Jade was with them too, so where was I? Honestly, pining over Jade.

I had heard from Natalia who had heard from Anise who had heard from Ion that Tear had gone into labour. I also heard that they planned on crashing the clinic should it happen on a day and time Jade was working (I guess I should have mentioned this to Jade. I had a pretty good clue that's what the trio wanted when Luke asked me for Jade's schedule. I told Luke I knew what he was up to. He denied that being the reason, saying he was checking for his brother's sake, but his wandering eyes gave him away. I winked and promised not to let on to Jade. And I didn't).

While Jade was playing stork, I was thinking about him. I started off thinking serious thoughts about how Jade would handle the delivery, if there would be any complications and whether he would be chillingly furious about this. I figured he wouldn't be too impressed that they had come to him, but he wouldn't be that surprised either. And I knew he would handle it as well as any other procedure (and babies had been born in a lot crazier places than at a clinic). I think I was thinking again about how much I love him. I decided my love was incalculable when I pictured Jade walking out of the makeshift delivery room holding Tear's kid up like Rafiki from the Lion King, declaring that this was the physical proof of why the people in the waiting room should consider condoms before they do the dirty (might not work so well on the gay community, but I wouldn't put it past him to get Luke and Guy to carry the child out, make 'em think). Yeah, my imagination made me remember the very real love I feel for him.

We had been friends for many more years than lovers and, despite the amount of experience we had on Guy and Luke, we were only infants in our romantic life compared to the geezers we are in friendship. I think that neither of us saying "I love you" until four or five years into our relationship proves that. Wait a minute, maybe not. I feel – I know that I loved Jade way before that night outside the convenience store. I know I loved him before he kissed me under the secretary's desk after my father's funeral, just not romantically (though the guy did turn me on before then, I just never did anything about it). I think I love him because we're so in tune. We're not puzzles pieces because pigs will fly before we're ever called the same. I'm a high pitched noise and he's a wine glass that resonates back a smirking ring. We work together. Guy and Luke work together. Guy, Luke and Tear work together. Anise works with Ion. Natalia works with her high heels.

I guess it's worth mentioning that Asch is still searching for what or who he works with. I think Luke found out that Asch had been sitting up with some guy in Van's apartment when he heard the babies crying. Poor bastard, to have his "dumber" brother ahead of him in the love and life department must be a grand slam to the balls. Van's still out there too, not quite sure what he's doing. Probably trying to find Tear and maybe Legretta to recreate their world. Sorry, but I don't think that will happen; Tear's chosen to roll with the punches and make a new life (literally). Van won't be able to resurrect something that's been dead and dust for years.

The rest of us are good or most days we are. Well, Luke's had some issues, particularly diaper changing ones, and Tear gets help all the time from the lovebirds two floors down as well as Ion's (I force Jade to help too and surprising he's good with kids. They don't understand yet what he's talking about when he mocks Luke's genes or threatens amputation; they mainly just laugh at the big, long, funny words. They probably think he's speaking their language. They've got plenty of years to learn to be scared shitless of him. Maybe they can teach me when they learn, it would save my ass (probably literally)). The last major problem that was brought to our family's attention (why not call us a family? We all love each other with the exception of the twins who are too young to say so and Jade who prefers smirking at us) was the title.

Natalia burst into my office one morning just as I was staring out my beautiful window. She was in a frenzy, roaring and stomping her heels for me to get in contact with Anise, Ion, Tear, Luke, Guy, my partner (why can't she just call him Jade?). She paced my office with her hands gesturing to the window as if everyone we needed to speak to would be hovering with Yulia and her choir outside. She had been so focused on taking over the business, on get the story properly attended to, on marketing, publicizing...the list of my responsibilities seemed really long and complex, but I guess I just didn't give them the thought like Natalia (I'm just guessing my responsibilities were the same as hers. All I know is I work with paper and make phone calls instead of talking like normal people with my coworkers).

Two evenings later (and two horribly filled Natalia days later) everyone was assembled in Tear's apartment. Every now and again, Jade would interrupt the group to remind them there was set of twins down the hall sleeping and our voices would be muted for a couple minutes. Tear's place was small to begin with so we should have counted the babies sleeping through most of the discussion as a big blessing from Yulia (if she concerns herself with babies sleeping).

Anise was constantly blurting out various names that would have been appropriate for harlequin novels or classy porn which were constantly being refuted. Luke wasn't much of a help either since he shot down more than he offered. Ion would suggest passages from Yulia's teachings that seemed neither here nor there or talked about how much he enjoyed our get-togethers which was also neither here nor there. Tear spent most of her time shushing Luke, Anise, and Natalia who snapped at anyone who offered anything unhelpful or didn't contribute enough. When there was a pause after Jade threatened scientific experimentation on the next person to yell, we would be asked to vote on a couple of the titles generated. I would usually be the only one to raise my hand with Anise's for one of her suggestions while the rest remained divided between the reasonable ones. There was one time where the book was almost named _Luke and Guy's Excellent Adventure into Women_ when Anise and I almost had a majority vote until everyone agreed to veto majority votes. We would all have to agree.

Jade (for once) broke his own rule about being loud and let out a laugh that shook his shoulders. It still had the same effect as him threatening castration; everyone went silent to stare at him.

"My apologies, especially to Tear, but I don't see everyone agreeing on anyone title anytime soon within the next thirty years of our life time," Jade explained.

"It's 'cause everyone keeps shooting my ideas down," Anise said with her hand still raised after believing her title had finally been chosen.

"For damn good reason," Luke grumbled and threw his head back over the couch. Guy laughed a little wearily and placed a kiss on Luke's exposed throat.

"This shouldn't be that difficult," Natalia said as she crossed her arms and sneered at Anise, Luke and myself.

"Then why don't _you_ suggest something for once?" Luke barked at her and she _humph_ed indignantly.

"Oh my, this does bring back memories of my childhood," Jade commented with a great taunting smirk (I knew exactly what he was talking about too; Saphir would suggest going out for ice cream or skating at the pond. Jade would say no to everything and watch the poor guy fume. It only got resolved when Jade wandered off on his own and Saphir would follow, or when I dragged them to my choice of activity. I didn't see either of those things working in this situation. It was almost midnight and all the ice cream parlours would be closed).

"You haven't been helping either," Luke glared at Jade.

"I am a simple doctor, not an artist of verbosity. I just wouldn't be able to come up with something special enough that includes your life story."

"Okay, who votes to vote Jade out of the voting?" Luke huffed and pierced the air with his hand. Almost everyone ignored Luke and sighed tiredly except for Jade who (finally) raised his hand on something. He stood up and began walking towards the door.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" I called after him.

"I foresee this conversation going on until Yulia comes to collect Tear and Ion's souls and the rest of us return to dirt. I have patients lining up at the clinic at seven in the morning after a night of club-going and frivolous sex. I need to get some sleep," he explained as he slipped his coat on. With his favourite insulting smirk he said to Luke, "Besides, Luke is clearly our leader and leaders have the unofficial powers of a monarch. I've been, as your reality television shows state, voted off the island, Peony. Do not wake me when you come in."

"You sly bastard," I chuckled (a little jealous he was weaselling out of this).

"I retract my ruling," Luke huffed and crossed his arms, but still Jade pulled on his coat.

Ion sighed, "Our family is being torn apart, I fear."

"No we are not," Tear said firmly and fixed Jade with her motherly stare. "Jade, please rejoin us."

"Oh, but I would prefer not to fix this relationship. I would rather just let the garbage man collect and sort it than put the effort into gluing us back together."

"You're horrible," Luke muttered while he reflected Jade's smirk back at the bastard buttoning his coat up.

"Yeah, he kind of is, isn't he?" I chipped in. Luke smiled at me and Jade leered. "He said the exact same thing about his mother's heirloom vase when it smashed. Heartless."

"When _you_ shattered it by hiring the faulty movers."

"Who's keeping score of who did what? My point is you slither more than a snake."

"I wish I had gotten to see that vase," Ion said with a regretful sigh.

Anise gave Ion a disbelieving look. "You're still pining over that, Ion?"

"Yes, it was rumoured vases like that were quite intrinsic to the Hodian culture, even if Hodians are more celebrated for architecture. They're quite an odd and rare artefact – oh!" Ion's pout disappeared faster than Jade's tail when he slithered out the door or attempted to. I jumped up and caught a hold of his elbow for which he nearly bit my head off. Ion's eyes were bright and something in me said they were (for once) a reflection of his brilliance. Ion stood up and that's when I too leapt to my feet to snag Jade before he made his exit. "What if we name it _Jade's Broken Vase_ or _Mrs. Curtiss' Lost Heirloom_? I'm sure there's probably some symbolism to it, though it eludes me at the moment."

The room was silent with Ion standing excitedly in the middle of it, his arms open like he was preaching Yulia's message. I couldn't be sure what everyone else was thinking, but I knew I was somewhere between laughing my ass off and agreeing full heartedly. Anise was still giving Ion a disbelieving look while Natalia was mentally chewing it over, her foot slowly tapping the was also mentally digesting the idea while Luke was shifting from his glare at Jade to something like extreme bliss. Then he was on his feet too.

"That's actually really smart, Ion!"

"Thank you, Luke!" the Maestro exclaimed, oblivious to any patronizing connotation in Luke's praise.

"Yeah, it's like the vase is our past and instead of trying to put it together, we just throw it out to make our own histories," Luke exclaimed and I think it's safe to say everyone's brains hit the hardwood at Luke's in-depth reading. Me, I just laughed my ass off.

"Well, it sounds good to me," I laughed while ignoring how numb my hand felt to be clutching the Ice Queen. I looked over at Jade and he was smiling ironically. I shrugged at him and admitted, "Although, I kind of thought of the vase thing as a stupid running joke."

"It is a good idea," Natalia finally spoke up once she had thoroughly passed it over her tongue. "We may have to play with the wording a bit – Jade's mother isn't actually in the story, after all, and Jade's most certainly not the central character-" ...

"My my, life is rather ironic sometimes," Jade said about fifteen minutes later when we finally left Tear's place. We were walking down the narrow hallway to the stairs, his hand in mine, when he turned to me with his smirk in place and admitted, "I too thought of the vase more as a running joke than anything symbolically important."

So where is this story ending at? It's ending with Tear living in an apartment two floors above Guy and Luke's, Guy getting on his knees before Luke (sexual? Purposeful?) and Luke getting on his knees before Guy (sexual? Purposeful? One of them's got to be purposeful). Natalia's wiping her eyes and settling down into dear daddy's chair, while Ion's performing a sermon about the plant he recently revived, and Anise is waiting for the royalties to roll in (she has agreed to split them with the bohemians; Jade and I aren't too in need of money).

And Jade and I, we're actually at a café, not on the main drag, but a few streets back, on a veranda at a little cast-iron table in the sun (with an umbrella, of course, otherwise Jade would melt). It's spring and not too warm to be drinking hot beverages in the sun. Jade's warning me not to order another caffeinated drink because he doesn't want to deal with me when I'm hyper and it's not good for my heart to overdo it on the coffee. I'm taking his chin in my hand and lewdly asking him if he would drink the coffee off my tongue if it meant saving me from a heart attack. He's saying no as he turns his face away. I laugh and people look at us, wondering what could possibly be so funny. Then we hear music and it's an old rock song on an acoustic and we're both thinking back to the beginning of this story. There's a bit of a difference though. Well, for one thing, this is the _end_, not the start. For another, it's Jade who rests his hand on mine and him that kisses me across the table. As he pulls back he mutters that he loves me in my ear and he sits down with his hand back in his lap and staring down into the street while pushing up his glasses like he never did anything. Someday I'll get the Ice Queen to marry me.

"Peony, whatever you're smirking about, just remember that it's only in your head. Daydreams are still dreams and have no substance in reality."

"I was just thinking about all the sex scenes Anise added to the story. Ha ha, just joshing... Jade, it was a joke."

"...It's out of our hands now."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.: <strong>It is indeed out of your hands, boys.

So hopefully this story was entertaining. I think _technically_ this is my first comedy fic. I would like to think it's funny, but perhaps I've dabbled into the obnoxious. And one of the things I wish I had done was include Dist (more) in this fic. He's another favourite character of mine, but perhaps he'll have his day. So _that_ and I've probably have more than a few grammatical errors, run on sentences, OOC-ness and the list goes on.

As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed yourself!


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